Planet D Nonet - Blues To Be There




	This new album celebrates Duke Ellington's music as it is Planet D Nonet's favorite music. It is situated between 1956 and 1963. After decades of musical and commercial success, the first half of the fifties was a difficult period for big bands. But in 1955 the tide turned, as the main soloist, Johnny Hodges, returned. Billy Strayhorn had been away from the band for several years, but now he was retracing its steps. This is how the band came back to new heights. In 1959, the Duke even composed the soundtrack for the film ‘Anatomy of a Murder’, the first time a jazz musician had done so. The Duke even had a small part in it. He also won 3 Grammy Awards. Multiple scores would follow. The band Planet D Nonet, led by Detroit percussionist RJ Spangler and trumpeter James O'Donnell, breathes new life into forgotten jazz and blues classics over the past 15 years. For example, they have taken care of Fletcher Henderson, Buddy Johnson, Sun Ra, and South African Jazz, among others. But now it's the Duke's turn. Classics like 'Spacemen', 'Pie Eye's Blues', 'Chinoiserie', the title track, the sung 'Moon Maiden', 'The Swingers Get the Blues Too', 'Blow By Blow', 'Tigress', 'Almost Cried', 'Purple Gazelle', 'Way Early Subtone', the sung 'Take the A Train', 'U.M.M.G.', 'Bonga', 'Moonbow' and 'Vip's Boogie/Jam with Sam' are reviewed. A feast for those who love the music of the Duke!

		1. SPACEMEN Solos: Charlie Miller, Alex Harding, Tbone Paxton, Alex Colista (alto), Michael Zaporski, Trevor Lamb, Sean Perlmutter 2. PIE EYE’S BLUES Solos: James O’Donnell, Michael Zaporski, Christopher Tabaczynski (tenor) 3. CHINOISERIE Solo: Christopher Tabaczynski (tenor) 4. BLUES TO BE THERE Solos: Michael Zaporski on top, Christopher Tabaczynski (cl), James O’Donnell 5. MOON MAIDEN Vocal feature for Tbone Paxton Solos: Charlie Miller & Michael Zaporski 6. THE SWINGERS GET THE BLUES TOO Trombone feature for Tbone Paxton Solos: James O’Donnell & Christopher Tabaczynski 7. BLOW BY BLOW Solos: Michael Zaporski on intro, Christopher Tabaczynski (tenor) 8. TIGRESS Solos: RJ Spangler, Christopher Tabaczynski (tenor), & Alex Colista (sop) 9. ALMOST CRIED Feature for James O’Donnell (trumpet) 10. PURPLE GAZELLE Solos: Christopher Tabaczynski (cl), James O’Donnell, Charlie Miller, Christopher Tabaczynski (tenor) 11. WAY EARLY SUBTONE Solos: Alex Colista (alto), Alex Harding 12. TAKE THE A TRAIN Vocal feature for James O’Donnell Solos: Michael Zaporski & James O’Donnell 13. U.M.M.G. Solos: Charlie Miller, Goode Wyche III (bari) 14. BONGA Solos: Charlie Miller, James O’Donnell, RJ Spangler 15. MOONBOW Solos: Michael Zaporski, Alex Colista(sop), Michael Zaporski, Tbone Paxton 16. VIP’S BOOGIE/JAM WITH SAM Solos: Goode Wyche III (bari), Alex Colista (sop), Ryan Bills, Charlie Miller, Michael Zaporski, James O’Donnell PLANET D NONET www.rjspangler.com/pd9.php