NEWS RELEASE

ARKADIA JAZZ RELEASES DUKE ELLINGTON TRIBUTE

"ARKADIA JAZZ ALL STARS" : THANK YOU, DUKE!

* Benny Golson, Billy Taylor, T.K. Blue, Joanne Brackeen, the Joe Henderson Project, Harold Land and Joris Teepe in New Recordings of Ellington Classics *

Arkadia Records is pleased to add a third album to its Grammy-nominated "Thank You" series of musical homages to the giants of jazz with Thank You, Duke! This celebration of Duke Ellington's remarkable legacy (100 years after his birth) features 26 top musicians interpreting ten songs associated with the great Duke, all given fresh treatments and colorful interpretations. Ellington, who led a big band for 49 straight years (1925-74), was a distinctive and always modern pianist, an innovative arranger, and the composer of thousands of songs, scores of which have long been standards.

In this extraordinary new recording, a talented and diverse collection of all-star Arkadia Jazz all-stars pay tribute to Duke Ellington's classic music: Benny Golson, Joanne Brackeen, T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe), Billy Taylor, H arold Land, Joris Teepe (with Don Braden and Chris Potter) and the Joe Henderson Project with Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Terrell Stafford and Steve Nelson. Although the Ellington-associated melodies included on Thank You, Duke! were composed over a 40-year period (from the late 1920's "Mood Indigo" to Billy Strayhorn's mid-60's "Isfahan"), there is no sign of age in any of the timeless themes, certainly not in the interpretations by Arkadia's jazz masters. The updated treatments given these standards on Thank You, Duke! vary in instrumentation and style but are consistently rewarding and display both the strength and the variety of Ellington's music and the talent of Arkadia's roster of artists.

Benny Golson, a major composer for 45 years, performs warm versions of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "Mood Indigo" with an all-star trio (pianist Mulg rew Miller, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Carl Allen), bringing an arranger's sensibility to his well planned renditions. The ageless Billy Taylor (a close friend of Ellington's for 30 years) interprets a sensitive "In A Sentimental Mood." The innovative pianist Joanne Brackeen plays "Sophisticated Lady" solo and "Come Sunday" with a trio, extending Duke's ideas and creating fresh new music. One of Arkadia's most significant new discoveries, T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe), performs the beautiful "Day Dream" on alto with a quartet and takes "Chromatic Love Affair" as a soprano-piano duet with veteran Randy Weston. The Joe Henderson Project, an impressive unit with pianist Eric Reed, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, trumpeter Terell Stafford and drummer Carl Allen, pays tribute to the great tenor by playing "Isfahan," a song that Henderson usually uses to begin each of his performances. Tenor-saxophonist Harold Land's acclaimed project with a string section arranged by Ray Ellis yielded his lyrical version of "In A Sentimental Mood." And to close off this rewarding tribute, bassist Joris Teepe, a European who can attest to the worldwide appeal of Ellington's music, performs "The Feeling Of Jazz" with a quintet that includes Don Braden on soprano and Chris Potter on tenor. In the 25 years since Duke Ellington's death, his music has rarely sounded more alive and timeless than on this heartfelt and beautifully-conceived tribute project.

"The depth and breadth of Ellington's work is a testament to his monumental creativity throughout his career spanning more than 50 years," says Arkadia founder and CEO Bob Karcy in the album's liner notes. "His indelible standards are proof that a magnificent melody is forever. Wide in scope and deep in nature, Ellington's influence is something for which we will remain in debt for many years to come. As such, we feel very strongly that it is important from time to time to say ... Thank You, Duke!"

A full-service label started in 1997 by Bob Karcy, Arkadia Jazz has already earned wide acclaim as "The Artists' Choice." The label received three Grammy nominations in 1999 and has released CDs by Billy Taylor, Benny Golson, T.K. Blue, Joanne Brackeen, Nova Bossa Nova, the Moscow Sax Quintet, Dave Liebman, Kenny Drew Jr. and a completely remastered album of Django Reinhardt with Coleman Hawkins. In addition its newly-acquired Postcards label has highly-rated releases by Gary Peacock and Bill Frisell, Reggie Workman, Jorge Sylvester, Alan Pasqua, Harold Land and Paul Bley, among others.

Arkadia Jazz is a label of Arkadia Entertainment, a natural extension of V.I.E.W. Video, founded by Karcy almost 20 years ago. V.I.E.W. is widely acknowledged to be the premiere home video producer and label in jazz, performing arts (opera, dance and classical music) and special interest (documentary, parenting, sports, health & fitness) with a catalog in excess of 200 titles that have been honored with over 100 prestigious international awards. For consumers who would like the name of the nearest retailer, or to receive a catalog, call toll-free, 1-888-ARKADIA.