Duke Ellington - Such Sweet Thunder

This music counts among Ellington's most well-realized concept projects, all inspired by Shakespeare's work and filled with memorable melodies and ample opportunities for solos by Cat Anderson, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Quentin Jackson. The Ellington-Strayhorn compositions treat their soloists like actors doing scenes and, in effect, playing parts, even quoting lines after a fashion - Clark Terry plays Puck in Up and Down, Up and Down (I Will Lead Them Up and Down), and Johnny Hodges turns in one of the most sensuous performances of his career for Half the Fun, from Antony and Cleopatra. 1957 release. 180 gram MONO recording.