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. Like other world music-influenced suites composed in the last decade of his life, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse was called by NPR music critic David Brent Johnson one of Ellington's, "late-period masterpieces."[1]
The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1975 | |||
Recorded | February 17, 1971 | |||
Studio | National Recording Studios, New York City | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 37:33 | |||
Label | Fantasy | |||
Producer | Mercer Ellington | |||
Duke Ellington chronology | ||||
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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.[1]
Allmusic gave the album four stars out of five, describing it as "compelling, cosmopolitan, and organic ... All in all, a textured, cross-cultural treat for the ears."[2]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [3] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [4] |
Notes:
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.