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This is Ellington’s orchestra in 1943. The singer/violinist is Ray “Floorshow” Nance. Nance played cornet and doubled on violin for Ellington. He sang and sometimes tap danced as well. Taft Jordan sings the answering lines and takes a short trumpet break, using a standard mute. Joe, “Tricky Sam” Nanton plays a trombone solo. He uses his voice to make the instrument “grow” and making judicious use of the plunger mute to give it a vocal quality. Ellington’s brass section was known for using ordinary household toilet and sink plungers to modify the sound of their instruments. You can see a line of them at one point in the video. Ben Webster takes the final break on tenor saxophone.

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