The Intimacy of the Blues

The Intimacy of the Blues is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1967 and 1970, and released on the Fantasy label in 1986.[1]

The Intimacy of the Blues
Studio album by Duke Ellington
Released	1986
Recorded	March 15, 1967 and January 7 & June 15, 1970
Genre	Jazz
Length	42:00
Label	Fantasy
Producer	Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington chronology
Orchestral Works (1970) The Intimacy of the Blues (1986) The Intimate Ellington (1969-71)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2½ stars and states "Duke Ellington did a remarkable number of private recordings with small groups taken from his orchestra and the selections included on this CD reissue are some of the best... Excellent music".[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated

1. "The Intimacy of the Blues" (Billy Strayhorn) - 4:01
2. "Out South" - 2:37
3. "Tell Me 'Bout My Baby" - 3:19
4. "Kentucky Avenue" - 4:01
5. "Near North" - 2:36
6. "Soul Country" - 2:10
7. "Noon Mooning" - 6:04
8. "Rockochet" - 4:22
9. "Tippy-Toeing Through the Jungle Garden" - 5:55
10. "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin''" (Ellington, Strayhorn, Lee Gaines) - 3:00
11. "All Too Soon" (Ellington, Carl Sigman) - 3:51

• Recorded at RCA Studio B in New York, NY on March 15, 1967 (tracks 1-6), in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 7, 1970 (tracks 7-9)and at National Recording Studio, New York, NY on July 15, 1970 (tracks 10 & 11).

Personnel

• Duke Ellington – piano
• Wild Bill Davis - organ (tracks 7, 9, & 10)
• Cat Anderson (tracks 1-6 & 11), Willie Cook (tracks 7-9) - trumpet
• Lawrence Brown - trombone (tracks 1-9)
• Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone (tracks 1-6)
• Harold Ashby (track 11), Paul Gonsalves (tracks 1-10) - tenor saxophone
• Harry Carney - baritone saxophone (tracks 1-6)
• Norris Turney - flute (track 10)
• Joe Benjamin (tracks 10 & 11), Victor Gaskin (tracks 7-9), John Lamb (tracks 1-6), Paul Kondziela (tracks 7-9) - bass
• Rufus Jones - drums

References

1. A Duke Ellington Panorama accessed June 1, 2010
2. Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed June 1, 2010