Duke Ellington wrote the song In a Mellotone in 1939 and his orchestra recorded it for Victor Records on September 5, 1940. The song uses the harmonic structure of the 1919 composition Rose Room which had been well-loved by jazz musicians (notably Benny Goodman and Charlie Christian) for years and superimposes a simple riff over the top. Then Duke turned his great soloists loose and a classic was born.

In 1940 Duke Ellington and his Orchestra were at the peak of their popularity with wonderful musicians and the great writing of their leader. The list of players on the record is practically a who’s who of jazz musicians including Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Rex Stewart, Juan Tizol and Sonny Greer. As was the case with many Ellington tunes, lyrics were added at a later date, in this case by record producer Milt Gabler.

The song’s popularity has remained strong through the years with notable recordings of In a Mellotone being made by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Harry James, Buddy Rich and The Manhattan Transfer.

Here is a link to the 1940 recording of In a Mellotone by Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra, made 86 years ago today:

"IN A MELLOTONE"