My favorite Duke Ellington disc. It's also an important statement about the 12" album format as well. In the era of the 10" album or 78 rpm recordings, there was/is a time limit. When the 12" album came out, I think one can have 20 minutes on each side of the record, and anything beyond that can affect the sound quality or mastering. "Masterpieces by Ellington" is only four songs, but all in their original length the way Duke thought it out and played with his orchestra when they did live shows. So in that sense, this format is the real meaning of the Ellington aesthetic.
One of my all time favorite songs is "Mood Indigo." I'm a huge fan of Frank Sinatra's version on his album "In the Wee Small Hours," but here on the Ellington album, I get goosebumps when I listen to this version. The singer for the orchestra at this time, Yvonne Lanauze, gives a sexual presence to the smokey and seductive "Mood Indigo." The long instrumental passage before the vocal just builds up and then - bingo! There she is, and it's like a release after being teased for the first seven or however long the instrumental passage is. The other three cuts here, "Sophisticated Lady," "The Tattooed Bride" (what a great title), and "Solitude" adds depth due to the natural length of the songs. If you're an Ellington fan, more likely you have this album. If you're not, or not have been introduced to this genius' work, then "Masterpieces by Ellington" is a great entrance way to Ellington & company's magic.
