The Mills Brothers with Duke Ellington: Diga Diga Doo

This song, written for the significant early black musical Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1928, is best characterized as the height of cool, early '30s style. With the notable Mills Brothers adding their fine harmonized vocals to the Ellington band's usual superb ensemble playing, it is a very interesting track. The Mills Brothers sing the lyrics, with the repeated "Diga diga doo" line, in wonderfully stylish and rhythmic manner, with dashes of scat. An underlying rhythmic bass percussive effect is provided vocally by basso John Mills, Jr., for much of the song. The music has a catchy, memorable theme, which the band plays in a rollicking, romping way with great rhythmic momentum; they also play some unison, punchy descending lines adding drama. These guys are obviously having big-time fun with this number! Cootie Williams plays most of the lead on trumpet with spirit and style, using a mute for the first choruses before opening his trumpet. Later, Johnny Hodges plays beautifully bouncing, wailing lead lines on soprano sax (reminiscent of his mentor Sidney Bechet) in answer to Cootie's trumpet work, with heavy ensemble backing. Fun stuff and fine music, indeed!