“Duke Ellington and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky met in Las Vegas while Duke's band was

setting attendance records at the Riviera Hotel.” Thus wrote producer Irving Townsend in his liner notes to the Columbia release of the Ellington-Strayhorn Nutcracker Suite. Never mind that Tchaikovsky died six years before Ellington was born; the encounter most definitely took place in the mind of one of the greatest American musicians of all times, who definitely hit it off with his illustrious Russian 

colleague. With help from his long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn, the Duke created one of his most ambitious works, in which he gave the beloved ballet classic a whole new look, providing each member of his legendary orchestra with a chance to show his virtuosity.

Ellington gave each of the movements “updated” new titles: so, for instance, the Sugar Plum Fairy became “Sugar Rum Cherry,” and the Arabian Dance, “Arabesque Cookie.” He also changed the order of the movements slightly. He treated Tchaikovsky’s music with great freedom, but also with great respect and love. His opinion of the Russian master was summed up in these immortal four words: “That cat was it.”

Notes By Peter Laki