The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (subtitled A Suite in Eight Parts) is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1971 and released on the Fantasy label in 1975. Like other world music-influenced suites composed in the last decade of his life, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse was called by NPR music critic David Brent Johnson one of Ellington's, "late-period masterpieces."[1]
| The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Recorded | February 17, 1971 | |||
| Studio | National Recording Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 37:33 | |||
| Label | Fantasy | |||
| Producer | Mercer Ellington | |||
| Duke Ellington chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album opens with a short spoken word introduction in which Ellington explains that the suite's title is inspired by Marshall McLuhan's vision of the onset of global cultural identity.[1]
Reception
editAllmusic gave the album four stars out of five, describing it as "compelling, cosmopolitan, and organic ... All in all, a textured, cross-cultural treat for the ears."[2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [3] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [4] |
Track listing
edit- All compositions by Duke Ellington
- "Chinoiserie" - 8:13
- "Didjeridoo" - 3:37
- "Afrique" - 5:23
- "Acht O'Clock Rock" - 3:04
- "Gong" - 4:42
- "Tang" - 4:45
- "True" - 3:35
- "Hard Way" - 4:09
Notes:
- Recorded at National Recording Studio in New York, NY on February 17, 1971.
- Track 1 opens with a short spoken word introduction; "Chinoiserie" begins at 1:36.
- Ellington's "Afrique" is not to be confused with the Lee Morgan composition of the same name.
Legacy
editThe 2001 Duke Ellington tribute album Red Hot + Indigo includes two compositions from The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse: "Didjeridoo" is performed by the jazz-influenced post-rock band Tortoise, and "Acht O'Clock Rock" is performed by jazz-fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood, who also covered "Chinoiserie" on their 1995 album Friday Afternoon in the Universe, and have often performed these and other Ellington compositions live.
Personnel
edit- Duke Ellington – piano
- Mercer Ellington, Money Johnson, Eddie Preston, Cootie Williams – trumpet
- Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood - trombone
- Chuck Connors – bass trombone
- Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
- Norris Turney – clarinet, alto saxophone, flute
- Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
- Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
- Joe Benjamin – bass
- Rufus Jones – drums
- Technical
- Roger Rhodes – recording engineer
- Jim Stern – remix engineer
- Phil Carroll – art direction
References
edit- ^ a b Johnson, David Brent (23 May 2013). "Duke Ellington: Highlights Of His Twilight". NPR Music: A Blog Supreme. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed April 15, 2010
- ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 69. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 439. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.