''Harlem Speaks'' (1935) is a jazz song by
Duke Ellington, made in response to the film ''
Africa Speaks'' (1930).
Ellington recorded the song at
Decca Studios
Decca Studios was a recording facility at 165 Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, North London, England, controlled by Decca Records from 1937 to 1980. The building was once West Hampstead Town Hall, and had been converted to a recording studio b ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England.
Gunther Schuller
Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician.
Biography and works
Early years
Schuller was born in Queens, New York City ...
said that the London recording was his best recording, "a typical array of “hot” solos (the way Spike Hughes liked them), ending with an all-stops-pulled-out ensemble chorus, replete with riffing brass, torrid
Nanton growls, and surging
Bigard obbligatos."
It was also recorded by
Charlie Barnet
Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.
His major recordings were "Skyliner", " Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffl ...
in 1941.
''Harlem Speaks'' is also the name of an album by Duke Ellington.
References
External links
''Harlem Speaks'' Duke Ellington
1941 songs
Jazz songs
Compositions by Duke Ellington
American compositions and recordings
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