In October of 1930 Duke Ellington wrote his first piece for, as he said, "micro-phone transmission," that is, a radio broadcast. Letters about the tune came pouring in and Ellington set about refining the composition, voicing a blend of muted trumpet, muted trombone and clarinet to play the melody, but in such a way that the combined sounds created an over tone series making it appear as if four instruments were playing. "Mood Indigo" inverted the usual instrumental voicing used at that time, and when he and Billy Strayhorn revisited the composition for his first long playing album "Masterpieces By Ellington" in 1950, Ellington biographer John Edward Hasse noted how this 15 minute long "Mood Indigo" "goes through several meters...three keys, and effective contrasts in sonorities, densities and timbres." Please join Blue Lake Public Radio for Jazz From Blue Lake Tuesday at 10 p.m. when we hear these unique versions of "Mood Indigo" (we'll also hear a 1932 version recorded in stereo) to kick off our celebration of Ellington's 126th birthday.
Duke Ellington on Jazz From Blue Lake
