THE ELLINGTON COLLECTIVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82dHtfXEMEA

 

Video biography of DUKE ELLINGTON:

 

 

 

 

The Ellington Collective features an elite group of New England’s finest jazz masters. Led by saxophonist Dan Moretti, this powerhouse ensemble brings a deep wealth of experience from world-class stages, recording studios, and premier academic institutions.

Dan Moretti, Tenor and Alto Saxophone (Leader) is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, composer, producer, and Professor Emeritus at Berklee College of Music, where he taught for nearly three decades. He has produced 21 international album releases as a leader, frequently hitting the Top 40 jazz radio charts in the United States. Over his prolific career, Moretti has toured extensively across Europe, Africa, and Asia, performing alongside legendary icons Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Nile Rodgers, and Dr. John.
https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/daniel-moretti

Tim Ray, Piano, is one of the most sought-after pianists and arrangers in the jazz world, currently serving as a professor in the Berklee College of Music. He spent over a decade as the regular touring pianist for country-pop legend Lyle Lovett and has appeared on over 60 commercial recordings. In the recent past he was Tony Bennett’s piano player. https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/tim-ray

Marty Richards, Drums, is an incredibly versatile powerhouse drummer who was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Known as an elite "go-to" player across multiple genres, he was the principal session drummer on the very first recordings by Norah Jones and has anchored the rhythm section for The J. Geils Band since 2005. His legendary career includes sharing stages with jazz royalty Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, and Tommy Flanagan.

Marty Ballou, Bass, is a premier acoustic and electric bassist whose impeccable time and inventive arrangements have graced hundreds of jazz and blues recordings. He has an extensive discography that includes collaborations with jazz giants Clark Terry and Frank Wess, as well as blues master, Duke Robillard.

Jeff Galindo, Trombone, is one of the most prominent free-lancing jazz trombonists and educators in the Boston area. A Berklee alumnus and author of The Berklee Practice Method: Trombone, his signature sound won his group a "Best of Boston" award from Boston Magazine. Galindo’s impressive performance pedigree includes extensive European and international tours alongside jazz masters Phil Woods, Makoto Ozone, and the Artie Shaw Orchestra.

Joe Esposito, Alto and Tenor Saxophone, is a highly versatile New England-based multi-instrumentalist. Known for his elegant phrasing and seamless versatility across jazz, classical, and R&B styles, he performs regularly across major music hubs from Boston to New York City. Esposito has lent his exceptional horn work to live performances and tours backing legendary popular music artists, including Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Henry Mancini, and The Temptations. https://www.joecesposito.com/bio

DUKE ELLINGTON’S LATIN AMERICAN GROOVE
First Set

C Jam Blues is a legendary 1942 jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington. It is universally celebrated for its extreme simplicity, featuring a 12-bar blues structure and a melody driven by just two notes: C and G. This minimalist design made it the ultimate "first tune" for musicians learning to play jazz and an essential staple at jam sessions worldwide. MAMBO

Do Nothing till You Hear from Me is a classic jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Bob Russell. The song tells the story of a narrator begging a romantic partner not to believe rumors about him being seen with someone new. BOSSA

Come Sunday is a landmark 1943 jazz masterpiece composed by Ellington as a musical reflection of African American faith, resilience, and history. It serves as one of the most culturally significant movements in his extended jazz suite, Black, Brown and Beige. CHA CHA CHA

I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart is a landmark 1938 Ellington jazz standard with lyrics crafted by Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond. The song became a massive success, reaching number one on the charts that same year and cementing itself as a definitive classic of the Swing Era. Ellington originally conceived the core melody in 1938 while relaxing in a Memphis hotel room during a grueling band tour. SWING

Jeep's Blues is a foundational 1938 jazz composition jointly written by Ellington and his star alto saxophonist, Johnny Hodges. The song's title stems directly from Hodges' childhood cartoon nickname. It features an extraordinarily soulful melody that remains a milestone of small-group jazz and big-band standard history. BLUES

Mr. Gentle and Mr. Cool is a famous mid-career jazz composition written by Duke Ellington and Harold "Shorty" Baker. The song functions as a musical story or character study, contrasting two distinct personalities within the jazz orchestra through instrumental dialogue. CLAVE.

Pyramid is a classic 1938 jazz composition created by Duke Ellington alongside his frequent collaborator, valve trombonist Juan Tizol. The piece is a hallmark of Ellington's exotic "jungle style" and "Spanish Tinge" experiments, blending Middle Eastern melodic structures with big band swing. LATIN

Second Set

Almost Cried is an instrumental jazz track composed for the soundtrack of Otto Preminger's landmark 1959 courtroom drama film, Anatomy of a Murder. Rather than a spoken story or anecdotal tale, the "story" of the track is told entirely through its cinematic context and its musical arrangement featuring a famous, melancholic trumpet solo by Harold "Shorty" Bake. DANZON

Brasilliance is a dynamic, modal jazz composition blending big band swing with Afro-Cuban and Brazilian samba rhythms. Featured on his Latin American Suite, the piece was inspired by his orchestra's 1968 State Department Tour of Latin America and famously spotlights a driving tenor saxophone solo. LATIN

I'm Beginning to See the Light is a 1944 big band and jazz standard co-written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James, with lyrics by Don George. The song is celebrated for its playful, romantic lyrics that detail a narrator who previously disregarded romantic cliches until falling head over heels in love. RHUMBA

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing) Ellington composed and arranged the music in August 1931 during intermissions at Chicago's Lincoln Tavern. The tune was first recorded on February 2, 1932 for Brunswick Records, featuring Ivie Anderson on vocals.
Ellington credited the phrase to his former trumpeter, Bubber Miley, who used it as a personal credo while tragically dying of tuberculosis.
The track was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 and remains a foundational jazz standard.

What Am I Here For? is a classic jazz standard composed in 1942. It was written during the height of what jazz historians call Ellington's "Blanton-Webster Band Era," widely considered one of the greatest iterations of his legendary orchestra. SAMBA

Caravan centers on a groundbreaking collaboration between Duke Ellington and his Puerto Rican valve trombonist, Juan Tizol. Released in 1936, the song became an instant jazz standard, famous for introducing Middle Eastern and Afro-Latin rhythms into the big band swing era. SAMBA / SWING