Bernie Gregoire wrote:

>My sense about Ellington is that his composition and arranging efforts were
>actually primarily focused on his sidemen.  He stated on several occasions
>that his output was created especically to the individual strengths (sound
>and improvisational styles) of his soloing musicians, ...

Dear Mister Gregiore, your sence is so right it can be!  In fact this is
why nobody, but the Ellington band, can play Ellingtons music so it sounds
right; he indeed wrote for a certain player, not a certain instrument.  And
Mister Ellington had a very good sence for what his musicians could play.
What he wrote for them fitted tehm perfectly.  Always.  This insight is one
of his strengths as composer.

James Zehm
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