Duke Ellington Songbook
The Corn Exchange, Haddington 9/9/25
Sara Oschlag (vocals), Peter Long (reeds/leader), Colin Good (piano), Arnie Somogyi (bass), Tom Gordon (drums), Ian Bateman (trombone)
Haddington’s Corn Exchange hosted the evening concert of 9th September at this year’s Lammermuir Festival, welcoming stellar Danish jazz vocalist Sara Oschlag and the Echoes of Ellington Quintet, led by Pete Long, clarinettist, director of the Ronnie Scott’s Big Band and all-round gifted musician, in an exploratory tribute to the ‘Duke Ellington Songbook’, with more than a passing reference to a legendary 1957 Ella Fitzgerald recording. The rest of the instrumental line-up comprised pianist/composer Colin Good, award-winning Brummie virtuoso bassist/teacher Arnie Somogyi, legendary Kirkcaldy-born teacher and drummer of the BBC Big Band Tom Gordon, and renowned trombonist Ian Bateman. In short, an evening of vintage jazz from the acknowledged experts, with evergreen melodies, infectious rhythm, and stunning instrumental and scat improvisation. Purely instrumental numbers, giving Sara a break after each set of no more than 5 vocal numbers (to comply, Pete quipped, with Copenhagen Musicians’ Union regulations) were no less thrilling. What’s not to like (especially as the informal venue has a bar – sadly, I was driving)? Pete’s wry but unfailingly informative patter emceed the evening.
The ball started rolling with the Louis Armstrong upbeat classic, ‘Baby, take me down to Duke's Place’, with just a hint of embryonic bluesy rock-and-roll and stylish solos for bass, clarinet and piano before a sweet scat improv from Sara. Saxophonist Johnny Hodges’ wonderfully coy ‘I'm Beginning to See the Light’ received a deliciously cool outing with cute trombone and piano commentary. A lovely arrangement of the trombonist Juan Tizol’s standard ‘Caravan’ opened with exotic drumming and clarinet in a Middle-Eastern vibe, delicious muted trombone joining the texture, before a hot bebop version let rip with astonishingly virtuosically wild clarinet and trombone solos. Absolutely stunning.
Ellington’s fabulously cool standard ‘Don't Get Around Much Anymore’ started smooth and stylish. A scat interlude from Sara displayed a phenomenal tonal range of 4 octaves (at least) with intonation and timbral variety to die for. Virtuosic bass and piano improvisation were capped by an all-in explosion of wild creativity leading to a big finish. While Sara rested, we enjoyed a joyous instrumental version of the sweet Ellington/Strayhorn classic ‘Satin Doll’ with lovely clarinet and trombone solos and a brilliant, wild drum ‘cadenza’. To end the first half, Sara returned for a breezy rendition of ‘Cottontail’. A super piano intro set the pace, before a powerful ensemble sound set the heart racing. Sara, Pete and Ian traded scat and instrumental riffs before an extended breathtaking vocal/clarinet improv duel. Final virtuosic vocal and clarinet solos delivered the stunned audience to a big finish.
From duel to duet. ‘Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)’ received a smoochy reading, with Pete joining Sara in the vocals as well as on clarinet, and some unforgettable wah-wah muted trombone. Exquisite. Then, holding that mood, all but Sara and Colin left the stage for a dreamily smooth piano and vocal version of ‘I Didn't Know About You’, beautifully ornamented and with an elegant piano solo in the middle. Back to the full band for the energetic Johnny Mercer classic, and channelling Ella Fitzgerald, ‘Something's Gotta Give’, the pace set by Arnie’s stylish bass playing after a super smooth intro. Things hotted up for a trombone solo. And then Pete appeared with a trumpet and played it like it was his main instrument. Piano, trumpet and trombone riffed brilliantly before we returned to smooth for the end. Stunning.
While Sara took another break, we had a special treat of ultimate smoothness. Pete and Ian moved with the bells of their instruments right up close to the microphone and played softly with the clarinet in its velvety smooth chalumeau register and the trombone muted. After an impressionistic piano intro, with brushes on the drums and bass at its louchest, they played ‘Mood Indigo’. Elegant dreamy timbre-exploiting solos from all held the mood. Perfect. Sara returned to close the final set with a breezy rendition of ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)’, with audience participation encouraged in the “do-wahs”. Sara’s scat improv swooped up to the stratospheric top of her amazing register with stunning accuraccy. After stylish piano and clarinet riffs, Ian’s ‘do-wahs’ on the trombone against an impossibly long held high note on Pete’s clarinet were a delight. A big finish raised the roof.
The encore brought the same blandishments to Duke’s theme tune penned by Billy Strayhorn, ‘Take the "A" Train’, nice and hot and super-syncopated, with a particularly explosive drum solo from Tom. Excellent.