The Hellingtunes

This unusual tribute to Duke Ellington uses the cut-up techniques of author William Burroughs to sketch scores for pieces only peripherally sounding like the big band master. Nonetheless, this largely successful recording is a creative and imaginative pastiche of styles, featuring strong improvising, particularly from piano basher Pat Thomas and clarinetist and alto saxophonist Alex Ward. The group's leader, Eugene Chadbourne, displays remarkable arranging skills while subordinating his fine banjo and guitar to the total sound. While blips of old Ellington recordings are occasionally inserted, don't expect to hear too much from the Duke's repertoire. These are freestyle transformations, with dissonance, blues, swing, and outside styling all blending in a stew that jumps and bubbles. Rounding out the sextet are Paul Lovens on drums and cymbals, Carrie Shull on oboe, and Leslie Ross on bassoon and shawm. One of Chadbourne's finer efforts.