{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = The Duke Plays Ellington | type = Album | artist = Duke Ellington | cover = The Duke Plays Ellington.jpg | alt = | released = 1953 | recorded = April 13 & 14, and December 3, 1953 | venue = Capitol, 5515 Melrose Ave, Hollywood | studio = | genre = Jazz | length = | label = Capitol | producer = | chronology = Duke Ellington | prev_title = Premiered by Ellington | prev_year = 1953 | next_title = Ellington ‘55 | next_year = 1953 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = ''Piano Reflections'' Cover | type = Album | cover = Piano Reflections.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = }} }}
'''''The Duke Plays Ellington''''' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington featuring trio sessions recorded for the Capitol label in 1953.<ref name="Panorama">{{Cite web|url=http://www.depanorama.net/index.htm|title=Ellington Sessions (53)|website=A Duke Ellington Panorama|access-date=2024-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423040115/http://www.depanorama.net/index.htm|archive-date=April 23, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The album was rereleased with additional tracks on CD as ''Piano Reflections'' in 1989
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Allmusic"/> |rev2 = ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings'' |rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref name="Penguin">{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=434}}</ref> }} The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "Ellington sounds modern (especially rhythmically and in his chord voicings) and shows that he could have made a viable career out of just being a pianist."<ref name="Allmusic">Yanow, S. [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r138244|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic Review] accessed May 21, 2010</ref> Pianist Pat Thomas commented: "when people are talking about what's the latest thing, I mean, he's just playing Duke. But he's so far ahead that he can blend in with whatever's going on."<ref name="Wire25">{{cite magazine |last=Wright |first=Seymour |date=January–February 2025 |title=Invisible Jukebox: Pat Thomas |magazine=The Wire |issue=491/492 |page=25}}</ref>
==Track listing== '':All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated'' # "Who Knows?" – 2:37 # "Retrospection" – 3:58 # "B Sharp Blues" – 2:47 # "Passion Flower" (Billy Strayhorn) – 3:05 # "Dancers in Love" – 1:56 # "Reflections in D" – 3:35 # "Melancholia" – 3:20 # "Prelude to a Kiss" (Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills) – 3:04 # "In a Sentimental Mood" (Ellington, Mills, Manny Kurtz) – 2:30 # "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" (Mercer Ellington) – 2:56 # "All Too Soon" (Ellington, Carl Sigman) – 3:08 # "Janet" – 2:15 # "Kinda Dukish" – 2:32 <small>Bonus track on CD reissue</small> # "Montevideo" – 2:33 <small>Bonus track on CD reissue</small> # "December Blue" – 2:40 <small>Bonus track on CD reissue</small> :*Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, on April 13 (tracks 1–8), April 14 (tracks 9–12), and December 3 (tracks 13–15), 1953.
==Personnel== *Duke Ellington – piano *Wendell Marshall – bass *Butch Ballard – drums (tracks 1–12) * Dave Black (drummer) – drums (tracks 13–15) *Ralph Collier – congas (track 14)
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Duke Ellington}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duke Plays Ellington, The}} Category:Capitol Records albums Category:Duke Ellington albums Category:1953 albums