S.O.D. "Mood Indigo" by Duke Ellington

3/25/2015     This one goes back a ways as Ellington remembers it was the first song he had written for microphone transmission.  The fan mail continued to roll in the next day and this jazz piece still remains a standard.  Sharing in the music composition with Ellington is bandleader and clarinetist Barney Bigard, who provided the theme for the song which he learned from his clarinet teacher Lorenzo Tio who referred to it as a Mexican blues.  

     Seven pieces round out the instrumental version which includes piano, bass, drums, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, and banjo.  Another version with lyrics by Irving Mills was also produced by Ellington.  Originally titled "Dreamy Blues," it was recorded in 1930 for a radio broadcast.  

     Ellington Is considered a musical master of our time, and gathered in expert size, the greatest jazz ensemble in history as well as originating thousands of compositions, composing right up to his death in 1974.  After his death he grew even more popular and was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in 1999.