Sundays with Duke #34: The Flamingo Takes Flight

We stay parked in 1940 for one more Ellington jewel — Flamingo.

This tune didn’t come from Duke or anyone in the band. It was written by Ted Grouya (music) and Edmund Anderson (lyrics), two writers Duke had just signed to Tempo Music, his new non‑Irving Mills publishing company. He needed fresh material fast: beginning January 1, 1941, radio stations were set to ban all ASCAP‑controlled songs. Duke — and most major composers — were ASCAP members. Suddenly he needed non‑ASCAP songs in the book, and he needed them yesterday. Enter Grouya, Anderson and Billy Strayhorn.

Duke handed Flamingo to Strayhorn to arrange, and the band recorded it for Victor in November 1940, with Billy at the piano and Herb Jeffries floating that dreamy vocal over the top.

Let’s spin it:

That’s a tremendous record. It doesn’t sound like anything else — not in 1940, not in any decade. Herb’s voice doesn’t just sing the melody; it threads itself through the arrangement.

Herb was also a singing cowboy!

And Herb himself was an interesting character: Duke’s first regularly featured male vocalist, he lived to be 100.

I first heard Flamingo on a Reader’s Digest big‑band compilation ages ago, and it jumped out immediately. Johnny Hodges’ alto solo especially — nobody else sounded like that.

The record became a major hit in 1941 and even found its way into a Soundie:

Always fun to see the band!

After Duke's original version hit, plenty of covers appeared, but let’s stay close to the Ellington universe for now.

1944 — The Trio (Signature Records)

Now let’s jump ahead — clean needle drop — to 1944. Here’s an instrumental version credited to The Trio: Eddie Heywood (piano), a young Shelley Manne (drums), and — crucially — Johnny Hodges on alto.

A very cool take. Johnny gets room to stretch out compared to his brief but unforgettable 1940 solo. It’s Flamingo with the spotlight tilted just a little differently.

Herb Keeps His Signature Tune

Flamingo suited Herb Jeffries perfectly, so he kept it in his repertoire after leaving Duke in 1942. He recorded it several times, each one a little postcard from wherever he was musically at the moment.

1950 — Exclusive Records

This 1950 version is from Heb's Magenta Moods album for the Exclusive label:

Nice backing from Buddy Baker — lush, late‑night stuff.

1952 — Coral Records (with Les Brown)

Then Herb teamed with Les Brown and his Band of Renown for this 1952 Coral release:

A lovely version — Les’s band earns its “Renown.” Herb sounds relaxed, confident, like he knows exactly how this tune fits him.

1951 — The Billy Strayhorn Trio

We slide back a year for an instrumental version by The Billy Strayhorn Trio — Billy and Duke sharing piano duties, with Wendell Marshall on bass. Same Mercer release that included their Cotton Tail duet.

Always fascinating to hear Billy and Duke trading piano lines. It’s like watching two master painters sketch the same subject from opposite corners of the room.

1953 — Duke Ellington (Capitol Records)

And now we jump forward again — new label, new decade, same bird — to Duke’s full‑band instrumental version for his 1953 Capitol album Premiered by Ellington:

That’s (of course) Ray Nance on violin and Paul Gonsalves on tenor. Johnny Hodges was leading his own band at the time, between Ellington stints.

That's an interesting early concept album — songs that Duke introduced and/or popularized, but didn't compose.

1954 — Al Hibbler (Norgran Records)

We close with Al Hibbler, who sang Flamingo many times with Duke after replacing Herb Jeffries as the band’s male vocalist. His 1954 version comes from Sings Duke Ellington on Norgran:

Al sings it straight, clearly drawing from Herb’s original phrasing — and he sounds terrific. It’s a respectful, confident reading, like he’s stepping into a suit tailored by someone else but wearing it well.

The Flamingo’s Flight Path

So there’s our little aerial tour of Flamingo — from Herb’s original glide to Hodges stretching out, to Strayhorn and Duke at the piano, to Hibbler’s elegant tribute. A tune that kept finding new thermals to ride.

Tomorrow, we’ll catch even more versions and let this bird keep flying!