Piano in the Background

Piano in the Background is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1960.^[1]

Piano in the Background
Studio album by Duke Ellington
Released	1960
Recorded	May 31 – June 30, 1960
Genre	Jazz
Label	Columbia
Duke Ellington chronology
The Nutcracker Suite (1960) Piano in the Background (1960) Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. (1960)

Reception

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars and stated: "designed to showcase a series of new arrangements for the Ellington Orchestra, it also offers the composer and bandleader as a pianist leading the band... In all, this and the two discs that were reissued as companions to this one, Piano in the Foreground and Blues in Orbit, mark a highly creative and productive time in Ellington's long career".^[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated

1. "Happy Go Lucky Local" – 3:02
2. "What Am I Here For" (Duke Ellington, Frankie Laine) – 4:08
3. "Medley: Kinda Dukish/Rockin' in Rhythm" (Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills) – 5:52
4. "Perdido" (Juan Tizol) – 6:49
5. "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James) – 2:06
6. "Midriff" (Billy Strayhorn) – 4:29
7. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Mills) – 4:33
8. "Main Stem" – 4:15
9. "Take the 'A' Train" (Strayhorn) – 5:33
10. "Lullaby of Birdland" (George Shearing) – 5:23 Bonus track on CD reissue
11. "The Wailer" (Gerald Wilson) – 4:25 Bonus track on CD reissue
12. "Dreamy Sort of Thing" (Strayhorn) – 3:56 Bonus track on CD reissue
13. "Lullaby of Birdland" [alternate take] (Shearing) – 5:27 Bonus track on CD reissue
14. "Harlem Air Shaft" – 4:03 Bonus track on CD reissue

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles, on May 31, 1960 (tracks 4 & 5), June 2, 1960 (track 7), June 20, 1960 (tracks 3, 10, 12 & 13), June 22 (track 8), June 28, 1960 (tracks 6 & 9), June 29, 1960 (track 2) & June 30, 1960 (tracks 1 & 11) and March 3, 1961 (track 14)

Personnel

• Duke Ellington – piano
• Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Andres Meringuito, Eddy Mullins, Gerald Wilson – trumpet
• Lawrence Brown, Britt Woodman, Booty Wood – trombone
• Juan Tizol – valve trombone
• Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor saxophone
• Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
• Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
• Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
• Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
• Aaron Bell – bass
• Sam Woodyard – drums
• Gerald Wilson – arrangement, Perdido
• W. A. Mathieu, as Bill Mathieu – arrangement, I'm Beginning to See the Light, It Don't Mean a Thing