It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (album)

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It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got that Swing
Studio album by Duke Ellington & Teresa Brewer
Released	1973
Recorded	September 4, 5, & 6, 1973
Genre	Jazz
Label	Flying Dutchman
Producer	Bob Thiele
Teresa Brewer chronology
The Songs of Bessie Smith (1973) It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got that Swing (1973) Music, Music, Music (1973)
Duke Ellington chronology
Duke's Big 4 (1973) It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (1973) Third Sacred Concert (1973)

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 4½ stars.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Don George except as indicated

1. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Irving Mills)
2. "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues"
3. "Satin Doll" (Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer)
4. "Mood Indigo' (Barney Bigard, Ellington, Mills)
5. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Ellington, Bob Russell)
6. "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Ellington, George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James)
7. "I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter"
8. "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" (Ellington, Paul Francis Webster)
9. "Tulip or Turnip (Tell Me, Tell Me, Dream Face)"
10. "It's Kind of Lonesome Out Tonight"
11. "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 – piano
• Teresa Brewer – vocals
• Ray Nance – cornet (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Johnny Coles (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10), Mercer Ellington (tracks 1 & 7), Tyree Glenn (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 & 11), Barrie Lee Hall (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10), Money Johnson (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10), Joe Newman (tracks 1 & 7), Jimmy Nottingham (tracks 1 & 7), Jimmy Owens (tracks 1 & 7), Ernie Royal, (tracks 1 & 7) – trumpet
• Art Baron (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10), Vince Prudente – trombone
• Chuck Connors – bass trombone (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Harold Minerve – alto saxophone, flute (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Russell Procope – alto saxophone (tracks 1–8, 10 & 11)
• Harold Ashby – clarinet, tenor saxophone (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Norris Turney – tenor saxophone (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet (tracks 1–8, 10 & 11)
• Joe Beck – guitar (tracks 4, 9 & 11)
• Joe Benjamin – bass (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Herb Bushler – electric bass (tracks 4, 9 & 11)
• Quentin White (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10), Pretty Purdie (tracks 4, 9 & 11) – drums
• Bunny Briggs – vocals (tracks 1, 7 & 9)
• James Mtume – conga (track 11)

References

1. ^ A Duke Ellington Panorama accessed July 8, 2010
2. ^ a b Allmusic Review accessed June 8, 2010

v t e Duke Ellington
Discography
Studio albums	Harlem Jazz, 1930 Ellingtonia, Vol. One Ellingtonia, Vol. Two Braggin' in Brass: The Immortal 1938 Year The Blanton–Webster Band Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band Smoke Rings Liberian Suite Great Times! Masterpieces by Ellington Ellington Uptown The Duke Plays Ellington Ellington '55 Dance to the Duke! Ellington Showcase Historically Speaking Duke Ellington Presents... The Complete Porgy and Bess A Drum Is a Woman Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956 Such Sweet Thunder Studio Sessions 1957 & 1962 Ellington Indigos Black, Brown and Beige Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque The Cosmic Scene Happy Reunion Jazz Party Anatomy of a Murder Festival Session Blues in Orbit The Nutcracker Suite Piano in the Background Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. Unknown Session Piano in the Foreground Paris Blues Featuring Paul Gonsalves Midnight in Paris Studio Sessions, New York 1962 Afro-Bossa The Symphonic Ellington Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session Studio Sessions New York 1963 My People Ellington '65 Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins Ellington '66 Concert in the Virgin Islands The Popular Duke Ellington Far East Suite The Jaywalker Studio Sessions, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, San Francisco, Chicago, New York ...And His Mother Called Him Bill Second Sacred Concert Studio Sessions New York, 1968 Latin American Suite The Pianist New Orleans Suite Orchestral Works The Suites, New York 1968 & 1970 The Intimacy of the Blues The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse Studio Sessions New York & Chicago, 1965, 1966 & 1971 The Intimate Ellington The Ellington Suites This One's for Blanton! Up in Duke's Workshop Duke's Big 4 Mood Ellington
Live albums	Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live Black, Brown, and Beige The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1944 The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1946 The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1947 Ellington at Newport Dance Concerts, California 1958 Dance Dates, California 1958 Newport 1958 Jazz at the Plaza Vol. II Duke Ellington at the Alhambra Live at the Blue Note Hot Summer Dance The Great Paris Concert A Concert of Sacred Music In the Uncommon Market Soul Call Yale Concert 70th Birthday Concert Togo Brava Suite Live at the Whitney Third Sacred Concert Eastbourne Performance
Collaborations	Blue Rose Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Side by Side Back to Back The Great Summit First Time! The Count Meets the Duke Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins Money Jungle Duke Ellington & John Coltrane Serenade to Sweden Ella at Duke's Place The Stockholm Concert, 1966 Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur Francis A. & Edward K. It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
Compositions	"African Flower" "All Too Soon" "Azure" "Black and Tan Fantasy" "Black, Brown and Beige" "C Jam Blues" "Come Sunday" "Cotton Tail" "Creole Love Call" "Day Dream" "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me" "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" "Drop Me Off in Harlem" "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" "Echoes of Harlem" "Everything but You" "I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues" "I Didn't Know About You" "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" "I'm Beginning to See the Light" "I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So" "In a Mellow Tone" "In a Sentimental Mood" "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'" "Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)" "The Mooche" "Mood Indigo" " Prelude to a Kiss" "Rocks in My Bed" "(In My) Solitude" "Sophisticated Lady" Queenie Pie (unfinished opera) by Billy Strayhorn "Take the 'A' Train" "Lush Life" "Chelsea Bridge" "Something to Live For" "Satin Doll" "Blood Count" by Juan Tizol "Caravan" "Perdido"
Orchestra members	Hayes Alvis Cat Anderson Ivie Anderson Harold Ashby Alice Babs Shorty Baker Butch Ballard Art Baron Aaron Bell Louie Bellson Joe Benjamin Barney Bigard Lou Blackburn Jimmy Blanton Wellman Braud Lawrence Brown Harry Carney Johnny Coles Willie Cook Buster Cooper Kay Davis Wild Bill Davis Wilbur de Paris Bobby Durham Mercer Ellington Rolf Ericson Jimmy Forrest Victor Gaskin Peter Giger Tyree Glenn Paul Gonsalves Sonny Greer Fred Guy Jimmy Hamilton Otto Hardwick Shelton Hemphill Rick Henderson Al Hibbler Johnny Hodges Major Holley Charlie Irvis Quentin Jackson Hilton Jefferson Herb Jeffries Freddie Jenkins Money Johnson Herbie Jones Wallace Jones Taft Jordan Al Killian Queen Esther Marrow Wendell Marshall Murray McEachern Louis Metcalf James "Bubber" Miley Harold "Geezil" Minerve Ray Nance Tricky Sam Nanton Oscar Pettiford Eddie Preston Russell Procope Junior Raglin Betty Roché Ernie Royal Al Sears Joya Sherrill Willie Smith Elmer Snowden Rex Stewart Billy Strayhorn Billy Taylor Clark Terry Juan Tizol Norris Turney Ben Webster Arthur Whetsel Cootie Williams Nelson Williams Skippy Williams Booty Wood Jimmy Woode Britt Woodman Sam Woodyard
Related	Mercer Ellington (son) Sacred Concerts Duke Ellington Bridge Duke Ellington Circle Duke Ellington Memorial Duke Ellington House Duke Ellington School of the Arts Luther Henderson Irving Mills Sophisticated Ladies Play On! Jam Session Steve Ellington