It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington and singer Teresa Brewer originally released on Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman label in 1973. It features the final studio recordings by Ellington.
Reception
The Allmusic review awarded the album 4ý stars.
Track listing
All compositions by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Don George except as indicated
- "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Irving Mills)
- "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues"
- "Satin Doll" (Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer)
- "Mood Indigo' (Barney Bigard, Ellington, Mills)
- "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Ellington, Bob Russell)
- "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Ellington, George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James)
- "I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter"
- "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" (Ellington, Paul Francis Webster)
- "Tulip or Turnip (Tell Me, Tell Me, Dream Face)"
- "It's Kind of Lonesome Out Tonight"
- "Poco Mucho"
*Recorded in New York on September 4 (tracks 3, 5, 8 & 10), September 5 (tracks 1, 2, 6 & 7), and September 6 (tracks 4, 9 & 11), 1973.
Personnel
- Duke Ellington â piano
- Teresa Brewer â vocals
- Ray Nance â cornet (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Johnny Coles (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10), Mercer Ellington (tracks 1 & 7), Tyree Glenn (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 & 11), Barrie Lee Hall (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10), Money Johnson (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10), Joe Newman (tracks 1 & 7), Jimmy Nottingham (tracks 1 & 7), Jimmy Owens (tracks 1 & 7), Ernie Royal, (tracks 1 & 7) â trumpet
- Art Baron (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10), Vince Prudente â trombone
- Chuck Connors â bass trombone (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Harold Minerve â alto saxophone, flute (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Russell Procope â alto saxophone (tracks 1âÂÂ8, 10 & 11)
- Harold Ashby â clarinet, tenor saxophone (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Norris Turney â tenor saxophone (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Harry Carney â baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet (tracks 1âÂÂ8, 10 & 11)
- Joe Beck â guitar (tracks 4, 9 & 11)
- Joe Benjamin â bass (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10)
- Herb Bushler â electric bass (tracks 4, 9 & 11)
- Quentin White (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5âÂÂ8 & 10), Pretty Purdie (tracks 4, 9 & 11) â drums
- Bunny Briggs â vocals (tracks 1, 7 & 9)
- James Mtume â conga (track 11)
References