Duke Dreams Explained

Duke Dreams
Type:	Album
Artist:	Ran Blake
Cover:	Duke Dreams.jpg
Released:	1981
Recorded:	May 27 and June 2, 1981 Barigozzi Studio in Milano, Italy
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	39:14
Label:	Soul Note
Producer:	Giovanni Bonandrini
Chronology:	Ran Blake
Prev Title:	Improvisations
Prev Year:	1981
Next Title:	Suffield Gothic
Next Year:	1984

Duke Dreams (subtitled The Legacy of Strayhorn-Ellington) is an album of solo piano performances of material written by or associated with Duke Ellington by the American jazz pianist Ran Blake recorded in 1981 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.^[1]

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars stating "While hinting at Duke's piano style, Ran Blake often reharmonizes and greatly reinvents his music... Highly recommended".^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated

1. "Duke Dreams" (Ran Blake) - 2:58
2. "Something to Live For" (Ellington, Billy Strayhorn) - 5:42
3. "Me and You" [Take 1] - 2:20
4. "Drop Me Off in Harlem" - 2:04
5. "Duke" (Dave Brubeck) - 3:45
6. "Blue Rose" - 2:49
7. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - 2:52
8. "Black and Tan Fantasy" (Ellington, Bubber Miley) - 5:15
9. "Animal Crackers" (Sam Coslow, Harry Link, Fred Rich) - 1:26
10. "Me and You" [Take 2] - 1:58
11. "Sophisticated Lady" (Ellington, Mills) - 2:27
12. "Take the "A" Train" (Strayhorn) - 5:38

Personnel

• Ran Blake – piano

Notes and References

1. http://jazzrealities.blogspot.com/2010/01/soulnote-label-discography-compiled-by.html Soul Note discography
2. Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed July 13, 2011