A Drum Is a Woman is a musical allegory by American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington and his long-time musical collaborator Billy Strayhorn. It tells the story of Madam Zajj, the personification of African rhythm, and Carribee Joe, who has his roots firmly in the jungle with his drums. Zajj travels out into the world seeking fame and sophistication and melds with the influences of cultures she weaves through the story, which gives a brief history of the rise of jazz and bebop.
Originally recorded for the Columbia label in 1956, it was produced for television on the US Steel hour on May 8, 1957.[5] The album was re-released on CD in 2004 with a bonus track. A stage performance was produced by Marc Stager June 24, 1988, at Symphony Space in New York City with pianist and arranger Chris Cherney leading the orchestra and Duke's son Mercer Ellington narrating.[6]
Jack Tracy stated in his five-star DownBeat review:
"A Drum is a Woman is the most ambitious project attempted by Duke Ellington in years. It is a capsule history of jazz, it is a history of the Negro in America, it is a history of the Ellington orchestra, and it is a folk opera... But more than any of these it is a revealing self-portrait of Duke Ellington."
Unlike other extended Ellington works, which are primarily if not entirely instrumental, "A Drum Is a Woman" is developed through songs and a narration with only occasional full orchestral passages. It was powerful, rhythmic and kaleidoscopic, with a strong vocal anchor at Friday's performance in Claudia Hamilton, a commanding presence as Madam Zajj. Luke Dogen's Carabea [sic] Joe was a genial, good-time companion with a strong inner core that emerged in a positively stated love song, "You Better Know It."[7]
The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2 stars and stated: "Dominated by vocals and narration, the music often plays a backseat to the story, which is worth hearing twice at the most".[2]
Track listingedit
All tracks are written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
No.
Title
Length
1.
"A Drum Is a Woman"
3:36
2.
"Rhythm Pum Te Dum"
2:53
3.
"What Else Can You Do with a Drum"
1:50
4.
"New Orleans"
2:29
5.
"Hey, Buddy Bolden"
4:51
6.
"Carribee Joe"
3:57
7.
"Congo Square"
4:55
8.
"A Drum Is a Woman, Part 2"
2:47
9.
"You Better Know It"
2:45
10.
"Madam Zajj"
2:47
11.
"Ballet of the Flying Saucers"
5:33
12.
"Zajj's Dream"
3:02
13.
"Rhumbop"
2:16
14.
"Carribee Joe, Part 2"
3:05
15.
"Finale"
3:51
16.
"Pomegranate" (Bonus track on CD reissue)
2:46
Recorded at Columbia Records 30th Street Studio, New York on September 17 (tracks 1, 6, 7 & 13), September 24 (tracks 2 & 3), September 25 (tracks 5, 8, 10 & 14), September 28 (tracks 4 & 12), October 23 (track 11) & December 6 (tracks 9 & 15), 1956.
^Wilson, John S. (June 28, 1988). "A Drum Is a Woman review at NY Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
^Wilson, John S. (June 28, 1988). "Review/Music; Ellington's 'Drum Is A Woman'". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
October 27, 2023
drum, woman, musical, allegory, american, pianist, composer, bandleader, duke, ellington, long, time, musical, collaborator, billy, strayhorn, tells, story, madam, zajj, personification, african, rhythm, carribee, roots, firmly, jungle, with, drums, zajj, trav. A Drum Is a Woman is a musical allegory by American pianist composer and bandleader Duke Ellington and his long time musical collaborator Billy Strayhorn It tells the story of Madam Zajj the personification of African rhythm and Carribee Joe who has his roots firmly in the jungle with his drums Zajj travels out into the world seeking fame and sophistication and melds with the influences of cultures she weaves through the story which gives a brief history of the rise of jazz and bebop A Drum Is a WomanStudio album by Duke EllingtonReleased1957RecordedSeptember 17 24 25 amp 28 October 23 and December 6 1956 1956 12 06 GenreJazzLabelColumbiaDuke Ellington chronologyEllington at Newport 1956 A Drum Is a Woman 1957 Studio Sessions Chicago 1956 1987 Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 2 DownBeat 1 The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 4 The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide 3 Originally recorded for the Columbia label in 1956 it was produced for television on the US Steel hour on May 8 1957 5 The album was re released on CD in 2004 with a bonus track A stage performance was produced by Marc Stager June 24 1988 at Symphony Space in New York City with pianist and arranger Chris Cherney leading the orchestra and Duke s son Mercer Ellington narrating 6 Contents 1 Reception 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 ReferencesReception editJack Tracy stated in his five star DownBeat review A Drum is a Woman is the most ambitious project attempted by Duke Ellington in years It is a capsule history of jazz it is a history of the Negro in America it is a history of the Ellington orchestra and it is a folk opera But more than any of these it is a revealing self portrait of Duke Ellington The New York Times reviewer John S Wilson commented on the 1988 performance Unlike other extended Ellington works which are primarily if not entirely instrumental A Drum Is a Woman is developed through songs and a narration with only occasional full orchestral passages It was powerful rhythmic and kaleidoscopic with a strong vocal anchor at Friday s performance in Claudia Hamilton a commanding presence as Madam Zajj Luke Dogen s Carabea sic Joe was a genial good time companion with a strong inner core that emerged in a positively stated love song You Better Know It 7 The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2 stars and stated Dominated by vocals and narration the music often plays a backseat to the story which is worth hearing twice at the most 2 Track listing editAll tracks are written by Duke Ellington and Billy StrayhornNo TitleLength1 A Drum Is a Woman 3 362 Rhythm Pum Te Dum 2 533 What Else Can You Do with a Drum 1 504 New Orleans 2 295 Hey Buddy Bolden 4 516 Carribee Joe 3 577 Congo Square 4 558 A Drum Is a Woman Part 2 2 479 You Better Know It 2 4510 Madam Zajj 2 4711 Ballet of the Flying Saucers 5 3312 Zajj s Dream 3 0213 Rhumbop 2 1614 Carribee Joe Part 2 3 0515 Finale 3 5116 Pomegranate Bonus track on CD reissue 2 46 Recorded at Columbia Records 30th Street Studio New York on September 17 tracks 1 6 7 amp 13 September 24 tracks 2 amp 3 September 25 tracks 5 8 10 amp 14 September 28 tracks 4 amp 12 October 23 track 11 amp December 6 tracks 9 amp 15 1956 Personnel editDuke Ellington piano narration Cat Anderson Willie Cook Ray Nance Clark Terry trumpet Quentin Jackson Britt Woodman trombone John Sanders valve trombone Jimmy Hamilton clarinet tenor saxophone Rick Henderson alto saxophone Russell Procope alto saxophone clarinet Paul Gonsalves tenor saxophone Harry Carney baritone saxophone Jimmy Woode bass Sam Woodyard drums Candido Camero percussion Joya Sherrill 5 6 12 13 14 Margaret Tynes 1 8 15 16 Ozzie Bailey 3 9 15 16 vocalsReferences edit Down Beat May 2 1957 Vol 24 No 9 a b Yanow S A Drum Is a Woman Allmusic com Retrieved 7 April 2011 Swenson J ed 1985 The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide USA Random House Rolling Stone p 68 ISBN 0 394 72643 X Cook Richard Morton Brian 2008 The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 9th ed Penguin p 434 ISBN 978 0 141 03401 0 United States Steel Hour A Drum Is a Woman Wilson John S June 28 1988 A Drum Is a Woman review at NY Times The New York Times Retrieved 7 April 2011 Wilson John S June 28 1988 Review Music Ellington s Drum Is A Woman The New York Times Retrieved September 12 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Drum Is a Woman amp oldid 1168510006, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
