Duke Ellington

Anatomy Of A Murder

Columbia / Music On Vinyl

Plenty of thrills and spills in this soundtrack to Otto Preminger’s 1959 film. Steeply evocative dynamic and rhythmic contrasts and quick changes in orchestral density get the job done — with a repeated strain of melody —  and make for highly entertaining listening, with numerous rollicking brass passages in amongst the piano-threaded impressionism, plus terrific soloing by Johnny Hodges, Ray Nance and co. Highlights include the suspenseful opener, the moody Midnight Indigo, the sublimely sad Almost Cried, and the band hard-rocking out-the-door with Upper And Outest, culminating in an amazing stratospheric passage by Cat Anderson, playing for a moment as if the needle is stuck.
Check out the opening of the film, with its title sequence by Saul Bass, and Duke’s music. Class.

• Main Title And Anatomy Of A Murder
• Flirtibird
• Way Early Subtone
• Hero To Zero
• Low Key Lightly
• Happy Anatomy
• Midnight Indigo
• Almost Cried
• Sunswept Sunday
• Grace Valse
• Happy Anatomy
• Haupe
• Upper And Outest
• More Blues
• Polly aka Grace Valse, Haupe, Low Key Lightly, Midnight Indigo
• Anatomy Of A Murder