Sophisticated Lady - Bert Brandsma Swing trio

Sophisticated Lady - Bert Brandsma swing trio. Music Festival : Te Gast in Garnwerd.
Winfred Buma - guitar
Bert van Erk - bass
Zie ook bertsbreeze : http://www.bertvanerk.nl/

Bert Brandsma - alto saxophone
Winfred Buma teaches jazz guitar at the conservatory in Groningen. Bert Brandsma met him when he studied classical and jazz saxophone there, from 1987 till 1992.

"Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington, to which words were added by Mitchell Parish and Irving Mills. The words met with approval from Ellington, who described them as "wonderful — but not entirely fitted to my original conception."

That original conception was inspired by three of Ellington's grade school teachers. "They taught all winter and toured Europe in the summer. To me that spelled sophistication."


Whom was Duke Ellington referring to when he wrote "Sophisticated Lady"?

Amy Alexander
Houston, Texas




Amy,

A good guess would be his mom, Daisy Kennedy Ellington. History tells us that she was a beautiful, intelligent, educated woman who doted on her son, Edward Kennedy Ellington (1899-1974). Duke worshiped Daisy, but his 1932 masterpiece was not written about her or any one woman in particular. Rather, the tune was actually a composite musical sketch of three women—three of young Ellington's grade school teachers in the U Street neighborhood of Washington D.C. "They taught all winter and toured Europe in the summer. To me that spelled sophistication," Duke said.

"Sophisticated Lady" was originally an instrumental mood piece. Later, Tin Pan Alley lyricist Mitchell Parish ("Stardust," "Ruby," "Moonlight Serenade") added words to Ellington's lilting melody, telling the sorry tale of a wealthy, love-lost socialite "smoking, drinking, never thinking of tomorrow." Ellington approved of Parish's lyrics, calling them "wonderful—but not entirely fitted to my original conception."

Interestingly enough, "Sophisticated Lady" is also the title of a 1989 British documentary film celebrating the life of the great jazz singer Adelaide Louise Hall (1901-1993), whose 1927 hit recording of Ellington's sexually-charged "Creole Love Call" rocketed both to international stardom. Known to many in the UK as the "First Lady of Jazz," Adelaide was born in Brooklyn and raised in Harlem at the height of the Jazz Age.

She appeared in the all-black musicals "Shuffle Along" (1921) and "Runnin' Wild" (1923) and toured Europe as the star of "The Chocolate Kiddies Revue" (1925). The toast of Broadway throughout the '20s and early '30s, Adelaide sang and danced with Bojangles, gigged with accompanist Art Tatum, and toured internationally on numerous occasions— making her, in 1931, reportedly the richest black woman in America.

In 1935 she moved to England, where her star continued to rise on stage and screen. The result of relocation, however, was that she was largely forgotten in the US over the proceeding decades. She returned to the States on rare occasions, appearing at the 1979 Newport Jazz Fest production of "Black Broadway." Two sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall in March 1992, marked her last performances in America. Adelaide Hall, a very sophisticated lady, indeed.

Wikipedia Bio
Adelaide Hall

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sophisticated
• lady
• duke
• ellington
• bert
• brandsma
• swing
• trio
• vanerk
• winfred
• buma
• te
• gast
• in
• garnwerd
• bertsbreeze

[THERMONA]

Excellent interpretation of a classic masterpiece. Thanks for all the videos posted, they help a lot young mucisians to improve their chops. Wish to participate in one of your performances.

[ABrandsma]

Alas, I have never played in Greece, but maybe there is a possibility in the future.

Kind regards,

Bert Brandsma

[schnieef]

I don't which version I prefer: your or Harry Carney's at Newport 1956. Very difficult to say.

[ABrandsma]

I consider this remark as a very big compliment, since Ellington's sax saxion, and then esp. the 1940 one, with Hardwick, Hodges, Bigard, Webster and Carney is my very favourite to listen to.

Vielen dank, freue mich in Januar/Februar wieder in Deutschland zu spielen!

Bert

[joepsplace]

Love he smooth playing of it. Heard too many musicians who play this masterpiece in a very staccato way.

Thumbs up!

[ChuckDaDog]

sounds better on the bari... more of a hearty sound :]

[Leebm29]

EXCELLENT: I think Bert is in the same league as alto saxman Johnny Hodges who also has a nice arrangement of this tune on some of the Ellington records Leebm29

[grepinseep]

awesome

[Carlsbiz]

Very nicely done guys !!!!!

[guitaress1]

nice sax, recalling Hodges, and fine trio