Wycliffe Gordon - The Intimate Ellington / Ballads and Blues (2013)

On his eighth Criss Cross leader date, Wycliffe Gordon (awarded 2012 Trombonist of the Year by both the Down Beat Critics Poll and the Jazz Journalists' Association) distills his exhaustive knowledge of the oeuvre of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on a well crafted, ten-piece program spanning a timeline from 1927 (Creole Love Call) to 1967 (The Intimacy Of The Blues). Throughout the proceedings, which explore a broad array of flavors, Gordon - spurred by a killer rhythm section of pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Alvin Atkinson - plays with characteristic effervescence and tonal creativity, matched by Adrian Cunningham on saxophones and woodwinds and, on several selections, the soulful violin virtuoso Zach Brock and vocalist Dee Daniels.

Tracklist:

01. Pie Eye's Blues (Duke Ellington)
02. Jeep's Blues (Duke Ellington)
03. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good (Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster)
04. Creole Love Call (Duke Ellington / Lorraine Feather)
05. Stevie (Duke Ellington)
06. The Intimacy Of The Blues (Billy Strayhorn)
07. Lotus Blossom (Billy Strayhorn)
08. Something Sexual (Duke Ellington)
09. Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington)
10. Caravan (Juan Tizol)

Personnel:

Wycliffe Gordon - trombone, soprano trombone, trumpet, vocals;
Adrian Cunningham - clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone;
Aaron Diehl - piano;
Zach Brock - violin;
Yasushi Nakamura - bass;
Alvin Atkinson - drums;
Dee Daniels - vocals (3, 4).