All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington

Doing an album of Duke Ellington tunes isn't a tough decision, and any number of fine artists have made perfectly lovely Ellington tribute albums. But from the very first track, bassist and arranger Rodney Whitaker makes it clear that while he's operating in a mode of love and reverence for America's greatest jazz composer, he's not going to be a slavish imitator. Leading a crack sextet, he instead puts his personal imprint on every selection, from the riotous New Orleans-style group improvisation on "Cotton Tail" to the bass solos that precede the heads on "Take the 'A' Train" and "Just Squeeze Me" and the rhythmically idiosyncratic treatment of "Caravan" that closes the program. That's not to say that this is an avant-garde project, by any means; the group plays in a solidly straight-ahead style throughout, and Whitaker's arrangements are always respectful. It's just that they're also unique and personal, and except for the gentle funk setting of "Mood Indigo," which didn't seem entirely successful to me, they're all brilliant. Whitaker's daughter Rockelle sings on most tracks, and she's dynamite. Great album altogether.