The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (subtitled A Suite in Eight Parts) is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1971 and released on the Fantasy label in 1975.[1] Like other world music-influenced suites composed in the last decade of his life, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse is considered among Ellington's "late-period masterpieces."[2]

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
Studio album by
Duke Ellington
Released1975
RecordedFebruary 17, 1971
GenreJazz
Length37:33
LabelFantasy
Duke Ellington chronology
The Intimate Ellington
(1971)		 The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
(1975)		 The Intimate Ellington
(1969-71)

The album opens with a short spoken word introduction in which Ellington explains that the suite's title is inspired by Marshall McLuhan's vision of the onset of global cultural identity.[2]

Reception

Allmusic has awarded the album 4 stars, describing it as "compelling, cosmopolitan, and organic ... All in all, a textured, cross-cultural treat for the ears."[3]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[5]

Track listing
All compositions by Duke Ellington
  1. "Chinoiserie" - 8:13
  2. "Didjeridoo" - 3:37
  3. "Afrique" - 5:23
  4. "Acht O'Clock Rock" - 3:04
  5. "Gong" - 4:42
  6. "Tang" - 4:45
  7. "True" - 3:35
  8. "Hard Way" - 4:09

Notes:

  • Recorded at National Recording Studio in New York, NY on February 17, 1971.
  • Track 1 opens with a short spoken word introduction; "Chinoiserie" begins at 1:36.
  • Ellington's "Afrique" is not to be confused with the Lee Morgan composition of the same name.

Legacy

The 2001 Duke Ellington tribute album Red Hot + Indigo includes two compositions from The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse: "Didjeridoo" is performed by the jazz-influenced post-rock band Tortoise, and "Acht O'Clock Rock" is performed by jazz-fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood, who also covered "Chinoiserie" on their 1995 album Friday Afternoon in the Universe, and have often performed these and other Ellington compositions live.

Personnel

References
  1. A Duke Ellington Panorama accessed April 15, 2010
  2. Johnson, David Brent (23 May 2013). "Duke Ellington: Highlights Of His Twilight". NPR Music: A Blog Supreme. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  3. Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed April 15, 2010
  4. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 69. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  5. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 439. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
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