Duke Ellington tributes, much like
Cole Porter,
George Gershwin,
John Coltrane, and
Miles Davis tributes, were a dime a dozen in the '80s and '90s. All too often, these
Ellington tributes were unimaginative and predictable, sticking to the standards while ignoring the many lesser-known gems that were written by
Ellington or his partner
Billy Strayhorn. But predictability isn't a problem on
We Thought About Duke, a cerebral post-bop date that trumpeter/flugelhornist
Franz Koglmann co-led with alto sax master
Lee Konitz. This is definitely one of the more daring
Ellington tributes that came out of the '90s. Instead of inundating us with standards that we've heard time and time again,
Koglmann provides arrangements of such underexposed
Ellington pieces as "Love Is in My Heart," "Zweet Zurzday" (which he co-wrote with
Strayhorn), and "Lament for Javanette." In fact, one could be a serious
Ellington enthusiast and be unfamiliar with these compositions. The best-known song on the CD is "The Mooche," which
Ellington unveiled in 1928. Although "The Mooche" can hardly be considered obscure, it hasn't been done to death à la "In a Mellow Tone" or "Cotton Tail."
Koglmann's arrangements have strong classical/chamber music leanings, and his admiration for
Gil Evans is evident. For those seeking an
Ellington tribute that is adventurous rather than conventional,
We Thought About Duke is highly recommended.