IN A MELLOW TONE - Duke Ellington
Slow - Medium swing
This tune is a very common standard, composed in 1939 by Duke Ellington. The changes aren't too hard, however they do present a challenge, because they aren't all diatonic. Practise singing and playing the guide tones (3rd and 7ths) of the chords as you will be able to easily hear the correlation between the melody and harmony.
This tune is usually played at a slow/medium tempo.
Drums, Piano and Bass
Watch and listen to this version before trying to practise along with the videos without piano/bass.
Drums and Bass
Focus on driving this tempo, and 'locking in' with the drums and bass. Listen to the cymbal timbre change in the different sections. Notice subtle hookups in 3:12
Drums
Listen to the subtle phrasing of the melody on the ride cymbal. Building intensity up and down throughout the sections. Focus on the crotchet of the ride cymbal.
Bass
Focus on the consistency of the crotchet, and which beats skip beats occur, how the skip beats create phrases of their own. Listen to the space in the bass solo.