By C. Michael Bailey
On The Road with Duke Ellington
A Film by Robert Drew
Docurama, New Video, 2002
DVD NVG-9502
VHS NVG-5566
On The Road with Duke Ellington is like those first grainy 8 mm home movies we all grew up with in the late '60s and early '70s. Maybe it is more like those home movies colliding with Dragnet and the coverage of the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The narration is quaintly dated and wholly non-controversial. There is no reason for controversy. Robert Drew's desire was to follow Mr. Ellington, already in his late 60s, as he performed around the United States, received honorary degrees and composed music in 1967, The Summer of Love.
But this music is a world and a generation away from what would be played at Monterey and Big Sur that Summer. The music presented here had its origins in 1930s Harlem during the unprecedented renaissance that took place there at the time. Drew often laments that he thinks it sad that Ellington is expected to play all of the old favorites as opposed to forging ahead. Ellington dismisses this concern by happily saying that at least they are listening.
Having been an adolescent during the period of this documentary, I have probably spent more time listening to tribute bands playing Ellington than Ellington himself. I have absolutely no trouble hearing Ellington play "Satin Doll," "Sophisticated Lady," "Take The A Train," Mood Indigo," well, you get the idea. When an artist created the Canon, who better to play it. On The Road…offers a superbly intimate glimpse of America's greatest composer (forget Edward MacDowall or Charles Ives). Ellington is shown as erudite, urbane, grateful and fully in control. We are offered glimpse of Ellington the bandleader, Ellington the composer, Ellington the ambassador of jazz. Heartbreaking is Ellington at the funeral of his close friend and associate, Billy Strayhorn. His was the face of true grief. The funeral included a slow and solemn "Take the 'A' Trane" replete with Ray Nance playing the violin.
Happily, we see many familiar faces. There is Johnny Hodges playing alto, Paul Gonsalves playing tenor, and Harry Carney playing baritone. Louis Armstrong shows up backstage and he and Ellington converse and mug like the two gods they are. It homors one to have been alive when these two giants were.
I commented on the environment of the documentary to lay the groundwork for a younger generation to be introduced to Ellington and this fine film. This is not footage of the MTV generation. It is footage of Camelot in ruins offering the only good thing it had to offer…America's greatest composer. The film ends with footage not originally included in the documentary. It is of Ellington, in the intimate trio setting, playing a song composed by his greatest intimate Billy Strayhorn. Ellington's Theme, "Take the 'A' Train." That will never get old.
