INDIAN LADY

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, and one of my favorite composers/arrangers in Kenton’s stable was Hank Levy. Levy was known primarily for his experiments in odd-meters, which should come as no surprise when you consider he was a disciple of Don Ellis.

One of the reasons I love this tune is you can trace the influence so clearly. You could be forgiven for mistaking this for a Levy composition for Kenton’s band, circa Live At Brigham Young University, or thereabouts. Don Ellis eventually moved onto scoring films – one of which was The French Connection

I don’t know how many people bust out “Indian Lady” on a gig, but I can tell you this: it isn’t nearly enough.