Audio fragments for Diggin’ the Duke
Diggin ‘the Duke is a new CD on which Deborah Carter shines a very new and personal light on known and unknown repertoire of Duke Ellington. Deborah Mark Zandveld, and Leo Bouwmeester wrote, from a contemporary perspective, new arrangements to his compositions, and Deborah composed original lyrics to a few of his instrumentals. They use a variety of swing, Latin and fusion rhythms and adventurous harmonies.
Dutch (Nederlandse) CD release 30 May 2015
Worldwide release September 2015
“On Diggin ‘the Duke [Deborah J. Carter] takes on the work of Duke Ellington. Using the high quality content of the original compositions as a foundation, Carter can express all facets of her personality in the material at hand. She possesses all the technique needed and she applies it, but it’s the treatment of the lyrics that draws you in. Her scats are creative and provocative. Carter has the musicians around her who she deserves.
Diggin ‘the Duke came out as a tasteful, sophisticated document that will find its way outside of the jazz world, because Carter seems to appeal to a wide audience.”
Het Parool – Jan Jasper Tamboer
She has tackled The Beatles before, so why not also dedicate an album to Duke Ellington? For the African-American singer Deborah J. Carter, who lives in the Netherlands, no challenge is too big for her, and so she decided, with husband Mark Zandveld on bass, Leo Bouwmeester on piano and Gunnar Graafmans on drums, to re-arrange thirteen titles of Duke. On top of that she added two originals: ‘Music is my mistress’ byEmiel Wienholts, and ‘The first time I heard Ellington’ by Hal Schaefer and Bob Larimer to the tribute album ‘Diggin ‘The Duke’. Carter has become such a big name that she probably had little trouble finding five guests willing to contribute, including the phenomenal Hermine Deurloo on harmonica.
As we are used to from her previous five albums, the production is impeccable. The singer is always working with true professionals and this does not apply just to her accompanists. But ultimately it’s all about the smooth, well-trained voice, which is ready to handle everything. Carter uses her instrument like a horn player, with lots of sliding notes and “chops”.
Carter fully respects the majestic work of Ellington, but she has no problem in presenting totally unique versions of classics like ‘Solitude’, ‘Satin Doll’, ‘It do not mean a thing’ and ‘Do not get arround much anymore’. It all sounds very natural and she swings like mad.
Jazzflits – Hans Invernizzi
Songs:
Light and Low
Harlem Nocturne
The Gal from Joe’s
Do Nothing Til You Hear from Me
Satin Doll
Prelude to a Kill
Purple Gazelle
It Don’t Mean a Thing
Melancholia
Solitude
Music is my Mistress
I Ain’t Got Nothing but the Blues
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
The First Time I Heard Ellington
(Click on the link, next to the photo above, to hear audio samples.)
Note: This program is available is various possible combo-settings.
