Herb Jeffries

Tribute to the Duke Herb Jeffries

American jazz singer and songwriter Herb Jeffries began his recording career with legendary pianist Earl Hines' orchestra in 1934 and went on to record with Duke Ellington from 1940 to 1942. Jeffries' most famous song, "Flamingo," recorded in 1940 with Ellington, sold over 50 million copies. Brazilian master guitarist Laurindo Almeida first came to prominence in the US as a member of Stan Kenton's band during the height of it's success in the 1940s and then became one of the world's most sought after studio musicians. In 1953 he recorded two of the first Brazilian styled jazz albums with Bud Shank called Brazilliance, which led to sessions with Baden Powell, Stan Getz and Herbie Mann, among others. In 1961, Almeida won multiple Grammy Awards for Best Engineered Album, Classical and Best Chamber Music Performance. The following year he won Grammy Awards for Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Duo and Best Contemporary Classical Composition. In the late 1970's, under the direction of the legendary record producer Ray Lawrence, Almeida and Jeffries collaborated on an album of Duke Ellington classics which included a wonderful reprise of "Flamingo," Jeffries' huge hit with the Ellington band in 1940. The session is presented here, newly remastered and finally available in the digital domain.