Duke Ellington and his Orchestra - 1958
Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call and The Mooche
Monday, February 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Way Out West with Laurel and Hardy
Great comedy requires artistic integrity, intelligence and courage. It shines light into dark corners where life’s pain, sorrows and fears reside. It is tragedy upended. Low comedy lacks these virtues. It is a dull, witless and foolish exercise lacking heart, insight or imagination, striving only to titillate, never to illuminate. I name no names save to say that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were great comedians.
On his deathbed, Stan Laurel pronounced that he wished he were skiing. Asked if he enjoyed skiing, he replied, “No. But it’s a whole lot better than doing this”.
Way Out West
Shine on Harvest Moon
Choo-Choo-Cha Boggie Tribute
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Billy Strayhorn rides his own A Train
The relationship between Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, his alter ego and musical partner, is complex and fascinating and worthy of further study. Curiously, or perhaps not for one disinclined towards the limelight, there is precious little actual footage of Mr. Strayhorn in performance. Here is one in which he performs the Ellington signature tune and Strayhorn composition, Take the A Train.
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