DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. The music of the great Duke Ellington has been a staple of jazz repertoire for decades. There even are big band competitions built around his formidable songbook. But lately, as much as Ellington is rightly revered, there are recordings coming out where artists both build on Duke's extraordinary music and find midway points between the legend and themselves. One of the best examples of this is from pianist Jason Moran, who does a solo rendition of mostly Ellington compositions on the Bandcamp-only release "Jason Moran Plays Duke Ellington." Jazz critic Martin Johnson says the commonalities are as striking as the innovations.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "I'VE GOT IT BAD AND THAT AIN'T GOOD")
MARTIN JOHNSON, BYLINE: The music of Duke Ellington is a cornerstone in jazz, but lately, musicians are building unique structures with it. That's the Ellingtonian classic "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good" from Jason Moran's solo presentation of Duke's music. And the difference is immediately apparent to jazz fans. It's denser, more rhythmically insistent. Essentially, it's as much Moran as it is Duke, which is Jason's style. In the past 20 years, he's produced tributes to the music of Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller and James Reese Europe, not by presenting faithful renditions of their songs, but by showing the common ground he shares with these greats and by making the music a little more current.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "BLACK AND TAN FANTASY")
JOHNSON: Ellington's music is often known for its regal elegance, but Moran values its grit. And he demonstrates this on "Black And Tan Fantasy." Also, Ellington typically worked with an orchestra. And Moran seeks to communicate the depth and force that comes from having more than a dozen musicians on the bandstand. Moran thinks of the dream state of the "Black And Tan Fantasy" and dives deep into the lower register of the piano to communicate it with a rumble.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "BLACK AND TAN FANTASY")
JOHNSON: Moran doesn't completely reject the elegance of Ellington's music. On "Fleurette Africaine," he lightens his typically heavy touch. And he allows the music to breathe more with an austere rendition.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "FLEURETTE AFRICAINE")
JOHNSON: No survey of Ellington's work is complete without touching on Duke's frequent collaborator, Billy Strayhorn. Moran includes Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom," and he uses the lighter approach. But he also references the way Ellington presented it on the album "...And His Mother Called Him Bill," Duke's renowned tribute to his sidekick.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "LOTUS BLOSSOM")
JOHNSON: There's a stately grandeur to Ellington's music that was especially well captured by his orchestra. But Moran nails it on the piano on "Jeep's Blues" while retaining his trademark rhythmic insistence.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "JEEP'S BLUES")
JOHNSON: The piece features a remarkable solo by Ellington's legendary alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, and Moran seems to nod to it here.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "JEEP'S BLUES")
JOHNSON: These days, musical tributes often feature originals that reflect on the meaning of the subject. Tyshawn Sorey's tribute to Max Roach, Steve Lehman's ode to Anthony Braxton and Dave Douglas' "Gifts" ensemble, an Ellington tribute, are examples of this trend. Moran includes his original tune, "Means," which demonstrates the influence and fascination that Ellington has had on his own music.
(SOUNDBITE OF JASON MORAN'S "MEANS")
BIANCULLI: Jazz critic Martin Johnson writes for The Wall Street Journal and DownBeat. He reviewed "Jason Moran Plays Duke Ellington." Coming up, Justin Chang reviews "Tony," the new film bio of Anthony Bourdain. This is FRESH AIR. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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