...And His Mother Called Him Bill
| ...And His Mother Called Him Bill | ||||
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| Studio album by Duke Ellington | ||||
| Released | 1967 | |||
| Recorded | August 28, 1967–November 15, 1967 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 61:18 | |||
| Label | Bluebird/RCA | |||
| Producer | Steve Backer, Brad McCuen | |||
| Duke Ellington chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
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...And His Mother Called Him Bill is the seventh studio album by Duke Ellington. He recorded the album in the wake of the May 31, 1967 death of his long-time music partner, Billy Strayhorn. It won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 1969.
Those close to the bandleader and composer noted he went into a deep depression, similar to the one he experienced at the death of his mother in the late 1930s. Ellington knew he had to do something to pull himself out of this funk and to memorialize the man he had worked closely with since 1939. Soon after Strayhorn's passing, Ellington decided to record this tribute, using the late composer's own arrangements and charts.
All of the songs featured were written or co-written by Strayhorn. Some were Strayhorn's last works. "Blood Count" was his last chart, written for the Duke Ellington Orchestra's 1967 Carnegie Hall concert. Some of the tracks were well-known and others were previously unrecorded. Although Strayhorn worked closely with Ellington, he also saved some of his work for himself. Ellington chose the songs to demonstrate Strayhorn's versatility and range, as well as to pay homage to the qualities that he most admired in his late writing partner. Many of the Ellington band members are featured on the album, including alto saxophone player Johnny Hodges, who was close to Strayhorn, and trumpeter Cootie Williams. The 1951 composition "Rock Skippin' at the Blue Note" showcases drummer Williams, Sam Woodyard, Jimmy Hamilton, and John Sanders.
The album was released in 1967 on RCA Victor and has been reissued several times on compact disc, first in 1987 by RCA/Bluebird, in 1993 by Flying Dutchman, and in 2000 by BMG. Two special reissues were also released, one in the U.S. and one in France, though both had the same track listing. They were released in 2002 by RCA and in 2001 by BMG International. The 1987 release features two versions of "Lotus Blossom," the song Ellington said Strayhorn most loved to hear him play. The bonus track version of the song was caught by recording studio engineers as the band was packing up to leave – their muted conversation can be heard in the background. Ellington plays a plaintive piano solo of "Lotus Blossom" and his private grief is palpable in his playing; it's a fitting tribute to the man nicknamed "Swee Pea," who contributed so much music to the world. Many fans and music world professionals still regard .…And His Mother Called Him Bill as Duke Ellington's finest album.
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