by Ken Dryden
Hank Jones is one of the most gifted jazz pianists of the second half of the 20th century, and this salute to Duke Ellington is only slightly blemished by the sometimes overbearing string arrangements by Masahiko Satoh. His trio, with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jimmy Cobb, stick to familiar selections from the vast Ellington songbook, with Jones occasionally switching to a Fender Rhodes electric piano or celeste. Happily the strings are omitted from cookers such as "C Jam Blues" and "Take the 'A' Train." Worth searching for.