Piano in the Background

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek stated: "designed to showcase a series of new arrangements for the Ellington Orchestra, it also offers the composer and bandleader as a pianist leading the band... In all, this and the two discs that were reissued as companions to this one, Piano in the Foreground and Blues in Orbit, mark a highly creative and productive time in Ellington's long career." ==Track listing==

All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated • "Happy Go Lucky Local" – 3:02 • "What Am I Here For" (Duke Ellington, Frankie Laine) – 4:08 • "Medley: Kinda Dukish/Rockin' in Rhythm" (Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills) – 5:52 • "Perdido" (Juan Tizol) – 6:49 • "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James) – 2:06 • "Midriff" (Billy Strayhorn) – 4:29 • "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Mills) – 4:33 • "Main Stem" – 4:15 • "Take the 'A' Train" (Strayhorn) – 5:33 • "Lullaby of Birdland" (George Shearing) – 5:23 Bonus track on CD reissue • "The Wailer" (Gerald Wilson) – 4:25 Bonus track on CD reissue • "Dreamy Sort of Thing" (Strayhorn) – 3:56 Bonus track on CD reissue • "Lullaby of Birdland" [alternate take] (Shearing) – 5:27 Bonus track on CD reissue • "Harlem Air Shaft" – 4:03 Bonus track on CD reissue Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles, on May 31, 1960 (tracks 4 & 5), June 2, 1960 (track 7), June 20, 1960 (tracks 3, 10, 12 & 13), June 22, 1960 (track 8), June 28, 1960 (tracks 6 & 9), June 29, 1960 (track 2), June 30, 1960 (tracks 1 & 11), and March 3, 1961 (track 14) ==Personnel==

• Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone • Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone • Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, clarinet • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet • Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Andres Meringuito, Eddy Mullins, Gerald Wilson – trumpet • Lawrence Brown, Britt Woodman, Booty Wood – trombone • Juan Tizol – valve trombone • Duke Ellington – piano • Aaron Bell – bass • Sam Woodyard – drums • Gerald Wilson – arrangement for "Perdido" • W. A. Mathieu (as Bill Mathieu) – arrangement for "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It Don't Mean a Thing" ==References==