Cotton Tail

Cotton Tail is a jazz composition by Duke Ellington from 1940, which became a jazz standard.

Background of the composition

Ellington's Cotton Tail composition belonged to the series of pieces with his orchestra from March to October 1940 grossed the pianist for Victor, like the Concerto for Cootie, Ko-Ko, Bojangles, Harlem Air Shaft, Warm Valley and in a Mellotone, the classic pieces of " Blanton -Webster band", which was strongly influenced by the newcomers Jimmy Blanton, Ben Webster and Billy Strayhorn. Duke Ellington wrote Cotton Tail 1940 after completion of a European tour. and as a feature for his new saxophonist Ben Webster.

Musical Analysis

Cotton Tail is a hard- swinging riff - piece, which is based on a 32 -bar AABA song form; his harmonies are based on the standard I Got Rhythm which in fact has 34 bars. In the first presentation of the topic Ellington shortens the second A section on four strokes, so that the first chorus has only 28 cycles; in this truncated A- part, he leads " a new musical idea, which reflects Gershwin's original ".

Unlike Gershwin tune that was based on a diatonic scale, Ellington's piece is more complicated and is " almost to a bebop theme ". It "begins with a ninth and contains a diminished fifth - two examples of Ellington's propensity to offend against the rules "

Ellington skill with little formal irregularities and melodic- harmonic finesse " to make the default schema of interest " here, Gunther Schuller emphasizes, when he emphasizes that Cotton Tail (as well as Mood Indigo ) for the African American music had a similar status have as the Nocturnes Frederic Chopin and ballads for the European music of the 19th century.

First recording

The composition was first recorded by Ellington Orchestra on May 4, 1940 in Los Angeles, along with Do not Get Around Much Anymore, its B-side Cotton Tail on the record (Victor 26610 ) was. Cotton Tail was thereby interpreted at a rapid pace.

In the first recording of the song is dominated by the saxophone riffs of the set and the meandering choruses of the soloist Ben Webster. Fragments of Gershwin's melody emerge particularly in Webster's Solo in the original version. After the presentation of the topic Webster plays two " exciting " choruses on the harmonies " and thus shows its full strength -. Its rich, slightly smoky tone, his strength, his forward movement " on Webster's solo is followed by a chorus, and between the whole sheet solos by Harry Carney ( during the B section ) and Ellington (last A- part ) is divided. After the smooth Saxophonchorussen the brass come again, and the play ends with the repetition of the opening theme.

In November of the same year another version of the piece at a concert in Fargo, North Dakota was recorded.

Reception

John Edward Hasse wrote in the biography The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington: "With the addition of Cotton Tail in May 1940 Ellington opened a window into the future, taking future developments of the Jazz ahead. " Gunther Schuller said it would have the face of the Jazz changed and said in many directions ahead of where the future d [ ies ] it would be music. " [ ... ] " the rhythmic inflections, the line of the melody, and the total Kuehne on this piece were far ahead .... Ellington would eventually thereby lay the foundation of what soon became known as bebop. " importance of Cotton Tail, as Gunther Schuller on, lay partly in his performance, " gust of spontaneity, freshness and flexibility, the Ellington the never let go of band again and open a whole new way should be to combine composition and improvisation. "

For the Ellington biographer Hans Ruland the first recording of Cotton Tail gives an impression of the change in the Ellington band and the format newfound; this "new dimension " would come in ' Cotton Tail clearly to the fore:

Substantial proportion have in mind also the bassist Jimmy Blanton, " whose solid bass foundation of the band as soloist gave the necessary support and pressure. "

Webster's Solo was back then " felt sensational, " by the public as that this " would not hear one note over and over again. " It in concerts

Other recordings

In January 1943, the Duke Ellington Orchestra performed the piece at their Carnegie Hall concert. In February 1956, led to a renewed recording for Bethlehem Records. From Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, there is also a version with two pianos and bass ( Wendell Marshall) from 1950 for the short-lived label Mercer, later appeared on the album Great Times. 1961 Ellington played it again at his session with Louis Armstrong for Roulette Records. More versions attended, inter alia, Buddy Featherstonhaugh, Wynton Marsalis / Illinois Jacquet, Marian McPartland, Wes Montgomery, Oscar Peterson, Rufus Reid, the RIAS Big Band Berlin, Clark Terry and Warren Vache on. Later recordings come from Wycliffe Gordon ( 2001), Harry Allen (2005 ), Martin Taylor and Howard Alden ( 2005). Numerous versions simplify the issue by making it "standard cater to 32 bars straighten" such as those of Benny Carter ( Further Definitions ), James Newton and Ray Brown / Ulf Wakenius. Herbie Hancock ( in a quartet with Wayne Shorter, 1995) simplifies the piece with a new B-segment, probably because he " just knows from memory and the bridge does not know exactly. " It

Sung versions

Jon Hendricks wrote a text for its inclusion in a trio with Dave Lambert and Annie Ross for her album LH & R Sing Ellington ( 1960). Here, the Cotton Tail is the tail of a fast rabbit that the farmer his food rations stole itself (based on a children's story by Beatrix Potter). The text begins with:

In this version Hendricks sang a vocalese of Webster solos. In the liner notes to Everybody's Boppin ' said Hendricks:

Rather textless versions were presented by Ella Fitzgerald and later by Dee Dee Bridgewater. In its sung version of the piece for her album Ella Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook Ella Fitzgerald scattete the words:

Later, Dee Dee Bridgewater scattete the song in her tribute album to Ella Fitzgerald ( 1997). Dating by Slide Hampton arrangement of this recording was recognized in 1998 as Best Instrumental Arrangement accompanying singing with a Grammy.