About jack jones Expertise i have as a long time enthusiast read extensively about his life and career i have a huge record and cd collection ranging from the mid 1920s up until his final concert some months before his death in 1974.
i also have a large library of books and magazines concerning the duke.
Experience as a long time fan over 50 yrs i have a good working knowledge of the man and his music.also a good backup reference library of my own.
Expert: jack jones Date: 2/11/2004 Subject: ellington/strayhorn piano "duets"
Question Hi
I was just listening to "Tonk", where Strayhorn and Ellington play
together on the piano. I was wondering who played which parts,
i was guessing that Strayhorn did the lower, while Ellington did
the other. I love listening to them play together, they truly did
share the same brain it seems.
Thank you-James
Answer Hello James first let me apologise for taking my time in answering your query, my copy of Tonk was recorded in November 1950 along with two more tunes Johnny Come Lately and Great Times now the record sleeve says Ellington and Strayhorn pnos with Joe Shulman on bass, the sleeve notes say that Tonk originated as a party piece when Duke and Billy got together to entertain. Now I had always thought that it was two pianos played side by side so to speak. So I transferred the 3 tracks to mini disc [ better for repeated listening ] and came to the conclusion that it was four hands at one piano, then I asked my wife and son to listen and for their conclusions they both said they thought it was one piano. I thought that was it until I decided to see if David Hajdu's book Lush Life covered this session, which he did and on page 123 he says they were recorded side by side at two grand pianos and that Tonk was the masterpiece of the session.
I must admit though that it does sound like one piano to me and as to who played what I think you would be probably correct that Billy played the lower while Duke played the top end. As you say though they must certainly be unique amongst composers their almost telepathic communication it is staggering at time when you read about their contact over thousands of miles to produce for me some of the most wonderful music of the 20th Century.
I think I will give Tonk a miss for a few months now, I must have listened to it 50 times yesterday and 20 times this morning.
