One Off

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother… Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous… Psalm 139:13-14

Following is an excerpt from Ted Gioia…

“Duke Ellington produced a special recording in 1959, one created without any desire to make money. Or even generating publicity from the incident—which took place in secret, without fanfare or press releases.

In a historic Duke-meets-Queen encounter the previous year, in addition to spectacular music, Ellington served up his famous charm for the monarch. When she asked him whether this was his first visit to Britain, Duke replied that his initial trip to London was in 1933, “way before you were born.” She was born in 1926. This was out-and-out flattery, and she loved it, because queens are people too.

According to Ellington’s son Mercer, his father began working on the music to The Queen’s Suite as soon as he got back to his hotel room.

By early 1959, the finished work was ready. The Queen’s Suite was now a 20-minute work in six movements. The band recorded it in three sessions in February and April 1959.

A single golden disc was made, and sent to Buckingham Palace.

In order to ensure that no copies were released, Ellington reimbursed Columbia, his label, $2,500 in production costs, and retained personal ownership of the master tapes.

Duke made certain that the music was never released during his lifetime.

Few people even knew about the existence of this recording, a secret between him and the Queen. Yet, according to producer Irving Townsend, Ellington worked harder on this music than any other piece during that period.

Most Ellington fans weren’t aware of the story behind this music, but parts of the suite showed up in his repertoire. “The Single Petal of a Rose” became a particular favorite with audiences.

In 1976, two years after Ellington’s death, the piece appeared on an album entitled The Ellington Suites.

A few months later, that record won a Grammy.

I’m sure Ellington would have been gratified by the honor, but I have a hunch he would have preferred that this particular story had remained private. It was a discreet gesture from a Duke to a Queen not meant for the ears of lesser gentry.

With the death of Queen Elizabeth, both participants in this magical exchange are gone.

I fear we have too little left of the gallantry that could produce such an extraordinary gesture, between two genuine representatives of a noble set, and solely as a private matter of their own.”

Like this gold record, you are a “one-off”, produced exclusively by The King for His pleasure.

One day soon, you will have a moment with The King where He will call you by the new name that only He knows.

Stop

THANK Father for creating you.

RECEIVE your “one-offness” .

ACT like the “one off” that you are!

You have been prayed for today.