"In a Sentimental Mood" from the 1962 album Duke Ellington and John Coltrane is one of the most celebrated recordings in jazz history. This session represented a summit meeting between two of the music's greatest figures: Ellington, the elder statesman of jazz composition who had been leading bands since the 1920s, and Coltrane, the revolutionary saxophonist who was reshaping the music's future. On this track, Duke Ellington delivers a half-chorus piano solo over his own classic composition, a 32-bar AABA ballad in D-flat. Ellington's solo is a masterpiece of elegance and economy, his distinctive voicings and touch bringing a lifetime of musical wisdom to each phrase. The rhythm section pairs members from both leaders' groups: Jimmy Garrison on bass from Coltrane's quartet and Sam Woodyard on drums from Ellington's orchestra, with Ellington himself providing the harmonic foundation. Coltrane's tenor saxophone statement of the melody, which precedes Ellington's solo, is one of his most achingly beautiful recorded performances. The entire session was completed in a single day, yet the music possesses an intimacy and depth that suggests years of collaboration.
