1975 · Album
This One's for Blanton!
Recorded December 1972 · Pablo · Produced by Not specified in available sources
Two Pianos, One Conversation in December
Ellington and Brown together made something playful and unhurried, a late-career session that sounds genuinely glad to be happening.
In December 1972, Duke Ellington and Ray Brown sat down to record This One's for Blanton! for Pablo Records. By this point in their careers, both men had logged decades of work, and what happened in the studio was straightforward: two musicians at the piano, no overdubs, no safety net. Brown's deep, singing tone anchored Ellington's harmonic language, which remained as rich and restless as ever. The session produced music that AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow described as delightful and often-playful—a fair read of what's on the tape. These are not virtuosic showpieces or attempts to prove anything. Instead, they're conversations between two practitioners who knew how to listen. Ellington's melodies drift and turn; Brown's responses are patient and melodic rather than flashy. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings rated it three out of four stars, and that's about right. It's solid, often engaging piano-and-bass music from musicians who understood their instrument and each other. This is not Ellington's peak work, nor was it meant to be. It's a record that suits a specific mood—late evening, no hurry, two voices thinking through ideas together. For casual listeners, Money Jungle (1962) or the earlier trio sessions remain more essential entry points. But for anyone curious about how Ellington sounded when the spotlight wasn't on him, when he was simply making music with a gifted partner, this session delivers exactly that.
Who's playing
Ray Browndouble bass
Duke Ellingtonpiano
Where next?
More by Ray Brown
Cannonball Adderley and the Poll-Winners 1960
That's the Way It Is 1969
Ray Brown / Milt Jackson 1965
With The All-Star Big Band 1962
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
