Jazz doesn't really do sacred cows, but if it did, Duke Ellington's name would be near the top of the list. Duke set the tone for jazz's classic period, and his melodies run like genetic code through all the music that followed. In jazz, however, the past is always up for renegotiation, and adventurous British saxophonist Mark Lockheart is entirely within his rights in getting stuck into the Ellington canon. His waltz version of It Don't Mean a Thing may not actually swing, and his Caravan may only fleetingly quote the actual melody, but it's a measure of the originals' robustness – and how successful Lockheart is in refashioning them – that this witty, energetic set, played by a top-flight British ensemble, will delight conservatives and liberals alike.
marklockheart. co.uk