Suites to the sweet

Students of literary and classical influence on the work of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn have much to look forward to in the coming months.

Anna Harwell Celenza Thomas E. Caestecker Professor of Music at Georgetown University, Washington DC, is currently finishing work on a study entitled Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and the Adventures of Peer Gynt in America which will be published in the journal Music and Politics. News of its publication and links to a copy as soon as we have them.

And October 1, 2011 sees the publication of Professor Celenza’s book for children, Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker, illustrated by Don Tate. The charming cover is reproduced below. The book is available for pre-ordering here.

Quite by coincidence, idling away a couple of hours on the internet yesterday as I am wont to do, I chanced upon this video from the CBS series Playback.

I like to think I am familiar with most of the catalogue available of Ellington on video but this little promotional film came as a complete surprise. The quality is splendid and the opportunity to see Ellington in his post-Newport renaissance (the quintessential period of the Ellington Strayhorn collaboration for me)at work in the studio with his band is priceless!