GREAT PERFORMANCES: ELLINGTON: THE MUSIC LIVES ON (TV)
Summary
One in this series on the performing arts. This tribute to jazz composer and entertainer Duke Ellington, hosted by Cicely Tyson, features performances by various artists, reminiscences of colleagues and friends, and film clips. Highlights include the following: Sister Sledge singing a medley, including "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Mood Indigo," and "In a Sentimental Mood"; Karen Akers singing "Solitude"; Carly Simon singing "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good"; film clips of "Black and Tan," "Murder at the Vanities," "Symphony in Black" with the young Billie Holiday, and "Belle of the Nineties" with Mae West; Ellington's son, Mercer, leading the Duke Ellington Orchestra in Juan Tizol's "Caravan"; Kathleen Battle performing "Creole Love Call"; Treat Williams singing "Satin Doll"; Tammy Grimes singing "Sophisticated Lady"; and Andre de Shields and Patti LaBelle singing excerpts from "Queenie Pie," Ellington's unfinished opera. Among those interviewed are Bobby Short, Yves Montand, Al Hibbler, Kitty Carlisle Hart, and Cab Calloway. Other highlights include the following: dancers Cynthia Gregory and Marcos Paredes performing the "Lake" excerpt from Alvin Ailey's ballet "The River," set to Ellington's score; and two excerpts from Ellington's "Sacred Concerts," including Esther Marrow singing "Come Sunday" and the Boys Choir of Harlem singing the "150th Psalm." Among those interviewed are Joya Sherrill, John Springer, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Alvin Ailey, Ruth Ellington, Nat Hentoff and Al Hibbler, covering such topics as Duke Ellington's love for women and his efforts in a diversity of artistic disciplines.
Next, the program explores Ellington's love of women, as expressed in his music, and his efforts in a diversity of artistic disciplines. Highlights include the following: the conclusion of Andre de Shields and Patti LaBelle singing excerpts from "Queenie Pie," Ellington's unfinished opera; dancers Cynthia Gregory and Marcos Paredes performing the "Lake" excerpt from Alvin Ailey's ballet "The River," set to Ellington's score; and two excerpts from Ellington's "Sacred Concerts," including Esther Marrow singing "Come Sunday" and the Boys Choir of Harlem singing the "150th Psalm." Among those interviewed are Joya Sherrill, John Springer, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Alvin Ailey, Ruth Ellington, Nat Hentoff and Al Hibbler.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
- DATE: March 7, 1983 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:26:38
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T88:0225
- GENRE: Music/Variety; Arts documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music - Analysis, appreciation; Jazz; Biography
- SERIES RUN: WNET (New York, NY) - TV series, 1974-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Bob Bach … Producer
- Bill W. Chastain, Jr. … Producer
- Jerome Schnur … Director
- David Axlerod … Writer
- Duke Ellington … Composer
- Mercer Ellington … Conductor
- Duke Ellington Orchestra, The … Music Group
- Sister Sledge … Music Group
- Boys Choir of Harlem … Choir/Chorus
- American Ballet Theatre … Dancer/Dancer Company
- John Adams … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Director
- Arthur Faria … Choreographer
- Cicely Tyson … Host
- Karen Akers … Singer
- Carly Simon … Singer
- Kathleen Battle … Singer
- Treat Williams … Singer
- Tammy Grimes … Singer
- de Shields, Andre … Singer
- Patti LaBelle … Singer
- Cynthia Gregory … Singer
- Marcos Paredes … Singer
- Esther Marrow … Singer
- Alvin Ailey
- Cab Calloway
- Kitty Carlisle
- Ruth Ellington
- Ben Harney
- Nat Hentoff
- Al Hibbler
- Billie Holiday
- Yves Montand
- Ken Page
- Joya Sherrill
- Bobby Short
- John Springer
- Juan Tizol
- Mae West