This was a gift from my brother a long time ago. It’s been on my desk everywhere I’ve been.
Many stories go with this little guy… and I’ll relate some of them here as time goes by.
“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as “now legendary” and “a prophetic piece and a prophetic title”.In 2008, Ellington’s 1932 recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. (Wikipedia)
Here’s a video of the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and his band:
