My People (Duke Ellington album)


My People is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington written and recorded in 1963 for a stage show and originally released on Bob Thiele's short-lived Contact label before being reissued on the Flying Dutchman label and later released on CD on the Red Baron label. The album features recordings of compositions by Ellington for a stage show presented in Chicago as part of the Century of Negro Progress Exposition in 1963.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 3 stars and stated: "Ellington created music whose message of racial harmony remains timeless. Due to the high quality of the "Black, Brown and Beige" suite and the shorter originals, this interesting set is more enjoyable than one might expect".

Track listing

  1. "Ain't But the One/Will You Be There?/99%" - 5:16
  2. "Come Sunday/David Danced Before the Lord" - 6:09
  3. "My Mother, My Father " - 2:50
  4. "Montage" - 6:54
  5. "My People/The Blues" - 8:56
  6. "Workin' Blues/My Man Sends Me/Jail Blues/Lovin' Lover" - 5:57
  7. "King Fit the Battle of Alabam'" - 3:25
  8. "What Color Is Virtue?" - 2:49

    Personnel