Duke Ellington is a musician that should be listened to for many reasons. But one aspect of his artistry that gets too little attention, in my opinion, is his piano playing. His approach to the instrument is unique - he treats it like a miniature version of his orchestra (or band, if you prefer), and plays it in a way that reflects his composing and arranging skills, as opposed to most pianists who are thinking primarily as improvisers.

Ellington's music always makes me think of the contrast between the words theory and practice. Music theory is a well-named discipline: it deals with ideas about how music works, but it results in questions more often than answers, and to put it simply, there is much more to learn than is already known. Ellington's music is based on the concept of practice - the fact that he wrote and arranged vast quantities of music over a period of six decades - and that he was always looking for the most specific and beautiful way of solving each musical challenge. There's a freedom and originality in his music that distinguishes it from virtually everything else. Here's "In a Sentimental Mood" from the essential recording Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1962), which I think will better illustrate what I'm trying to say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQfTNOC5aE