Vibraphonist
Bill Ware -- of
the Jazz Passengers,
Steely Dan, and
Groove Collective -- sets out to create the most unique tribute to
Duke Ellington in history and pretty much pulls it off with just his vibes and ace guitarist
Marc Ribot. This pairing on an all-
Ellington set seems unusual and it is -- in the very best way.
Ribot's guitar style, at least since he learned how to play Cuban music, has adapted itself well to
Ellington's large harmonic palette and swinging intervallic demeanor, while
Ware's lush phrasing and painstaking attention to tonalities and microphonics offer all the warmth and dimensionality necessary to hold the lyrical and atmospheric elements together. The program is from the
Ellington/
Strayhorn canon; there are no real surprises in the choice of material, with "C Jam Blues," "I Got It Bad," and "In a Sentimental Mood" leading things off. What is immediately noticeable -- besides the clear, ringing tones of
Ribot's guitar infused with a delicate but decidedly Latin feel, especially in the way he plays the changes through the meter -- is the arrangements. Carefully laid out, relaxed, and full of nuance and elegance without florid adornment,
Ware and
Ribot are naturals. When
Ware solos in "Caravan" and in "Mood Indigo,"
Ribot's fat, brilliantly rhythmic chording offers a wide lyric trough for
Ware to enter and move around in. The guitar holds a wide space so
Ware can move through the changes with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of taste and feeling. And
Ware does the same for
Ribot on "Come Sunday," with his wide sevenths and ninths on the vibes all warmed up tonally through an amplifier, as
Ribot plays about the middle register, taking the melody one step at a time and turning it into gypsy swing. This is a milestone recording for both players and one of the finer
Ellington tributes to come from the composer and bandleader's centennial.