Duke Ellington & Ray Brown This One's For Blanton (Pablo Series)

Analog Planet Rated 10/10 Music, 9/10 Sound!
180g Vinyl LP!
Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab from the Original Analog Master Tape!
Pressed at QRP!
The titular bassist Jimmy Blanton died in 1942 at the age of only 23, but left a lasting mark on the music world. During his time as a musician for Duke Ellington, he freed the double bass from its traditional role as an accompaniment instrument. Ray Brown, a pupil of Blanton in his younger years, continued his work and, together with Oscar Pettiford, developed the bass into a solo instrument; their work significantly influenced bebop on its development into a mature style.
On "This One's For Blanton", Ellington and Brown revive this heritage, their playing reminiscent of the famous duets of Ellington and Blanton and showcases Brown's creativity and virtuosity. In addition to the four-part "Fragmented Suite for Piano and Bass", the duo plays five standards, including "Pitter Panther Patter" from the Blanton era and three other pieces associated with Ellington.
Duke Ellington teams up here with bassist Ray Brown in a set reminiscent of Duke's work with Jimmy Blanton three decades before. In addition to the four-part "Fragmented Suite for Piano and Bass," the duo plays five standards (including "Pitter Panther Patter" from the Blanton days and three other Ellington-associated tunes).
When he died in 1942, 21-year-old Blanton had liberated the string bass from its traditional role as an accompanist. Brown, and another Blanton disciple, Oscar Pettiford, carried forward Blanton's work of developing the bass into a solo instrument.
Their contributions had a great deal to do with bebop's becoming a mature music. More than 30 years after Blanton's death, Brown went into a studio with Ellington to pay homage to his idol. Their duets echo the famous ones of Ellington and Blanton and demonstrate Brown's creativity and virtuosity on the Blanton model.
Delightful and often playful music. Recommended.
Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab from the original analog master tape. Pressed at Quality Record Pressings for superior sound quality, and housed in a handsome Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket.
"This One's for Blanton is a Pablo Records release you don't see around much at all these days, truth be told. I suspect this new Analogue Productions reissue is the one audiophiles will want anyway, especially for its impeccably quiet noise floor. As an audiophile release, well, just listen for the decay of Duke's piano at the end of 'Second Movement' (Side 2, Track 2), and you'll know original mastering engineer Doug Sax captured some special lightning in this bottle! As an Ellington fan, I find This One's for Blanton to be an essential listen — and you should too." - Mark Smotroff, Analog Planet, Music 10/10, Sound 9/10

Features:

• 180g Vinyl
• Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab from the Original Analog Master Tape!
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
• Stoughton Printing Tip-On Gatefold Jacket

Musicians:

• Duke Ellington, piano
• Ray Brown, bass

Selections:

Side A
1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
2. Pitter Panther Patter
3. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
4. Sophisticated Lady
5. See See Rider
Side B
Fragmented Suite for Piano and Bass
1. First Movement
2. Second Movement
3. Third Movement
4. Fourth Movement