Joe Jackson brings in Iggy Pop, Sharon Jones, Questlove and more for his tribute album to Duke Ellington.
Former pop-rocker and now jazz and classical performer Joe Jackson is paying tribute to iconic jazz and swing band leader Duke Ellington on the new album The Duke.
He’s joined by pals Iggy Pop, soul songstress Sharon Jones, violinist Regina Carter, bassist Christian McBride, guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, Questlove and members of The Roots, Iranian singer Sussan Deyhim, Lilian Vieira of the Brazilian/Dutch collective Zuco 103, and longtime cohorts guitarist Vinnie Zummo and percussionist Sue Hadjopoulos.
Jackson has reworked the songs into fresh, new directions. He said, “Ellington didn’t consider his own arrangements to be sacred. He constantly reworked them, sometimes quite radically. I think my approach is in the spirit of the man himself.”
Songs include ‘I’m Beginning To See The Light’, ‘Mood Indigo’, ‘I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)’ ‘t Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)’ and ‘I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues’.
The album was recorded and mixed by seven-time Grammy winner Elliot Scheiner (who has worked with Steely Dan, Sting, Bob Dylan) and will be released July 23 on CD, digital download and 12-inch vinyl.
