Music Monday: Duke, Fortner, and Grossmann

The first week of classes is always a hectic time and doesn’t always afford much time for good listening. That said, I did make some time to enjoy Duke Ellington’s concert from 1940 in Fargo’s Crystal ballroom. This is famously the first recording of Ben Webster with Ellington’s band and his breathy, smooth tenor saxophone appears in abundance. While I find some pre-war recordings more interesting as an archival documents than exciting listens (which may say more about my appreciation for jazz than I want to admit). This remarkable live album is an exception. It’s a brilliant artifact. Check it out here: I also enjoyed Sullivan Fortner’s new album, Leave That In There (2026). It’s Fortner on piano (and keyboards) with Tyrone Allen II on bass and Kayvon Gordon on drums. The tracks are short and tight and many of them feel not just improvised, but like he’s experimenting. They’re fragmentary and since I’m into fragments these days, it’s a suitable soundtrack. Finally, I really like the…