Duke Ellington, forefather of jazz and patron saint of swing, is almost inextricably linked with his band. His career centered on that legendary ensemble; his compositions almost always had them in mind. Last Saturday, however, the University Chorus and Chamber Choir gave a concert offering Ellington's most famous works in an almost exclusively vocal framework, accompanied only by piano and bass. For the most part, the evening proved a refreshing departure from Ellington's elaborate orchestrations.

An impressively broad selection of Ellington's work was performed, spanning the length of his prolific career. It was a very diverse program including several of Ellington's lesser-known instrumental works, which were well adapted to the primarily vocal presentation.

From the concert's beginning-they opened with "C Jam Blues," a breezy number with an ensemble-appropriate feel-it was clear the piano, bass and chorus were more than capable of carrying Ellington's songs. Conducted by James Olesen (MUS), the ensembles' performance was masterfully arranged.

Unfortunately, some of the spontaneity and ragged, impromptu "oomph" that so characterizes Ellington's music was lost in the translation. It is, after all, difficult for chorus members to improvise, and the wild, tangential improvisations that once characterized Ellington's famous live performances were missing. This was the concert's great tradeoff, and while it was a necessary sacrifice, it was hard not to miss a Big Band's blaring trumpets from time to time.

But the choral groups outdid themselves, rising to the difficult task of compensating for the musical clout of a full band. In place of brass bombast, the choruses had a more distinct, cleaner, measured style. While it was initially jarring to hear such bandstand classics reinterpreted with vocal arrangements, excellent choral harmonizations were a nice substitute in the absense of tonal color.

The result seemed like well-performed a cappella on a much greater scale. The lyrics were well emphasized and sung with enough nuance to make them interesting, even with only minimal accompaniment.

The choruses' most triumphant moment was at the end of the show, with their energetic rendition of "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)."

Of course, much of Ellington's most popular work features prominent vocal performances and his songs have been interpreted by greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. The Chamber Choir and the University Choir succeeded admirably in filling these shoes; the soloists were consistently talented and always well complimented by piano, bass and choruses.

A performance of "I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)" by Sara Kahan '07 and a rendition of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" by Matthew Stern '08 were particularly enthralling. Kahan captured the silky ambience and romantic resignation of the song perfectly, while Stern brought a sly charm to one of Ellington's great love songs. While there were no underwhelming performances, these two, in particular, stood out.

Guest musicians also contributed to the performance. Eric Mazonson's work at the piano provided a flowing framework for the show and the sporadic instrumental sections were a nice, well executed touch. Jazz composer Robert Nieske (MUS) arranged a brief but excellent section with a different vocal style reminiscent of a barbershop quartet.

The single most appealing aspect of Duke Ellington's work may be its loud, frantic vitality, the product of many talented musicians and a great deal of improvisation. Saturday's concert showcased his complex, appealing melodies and clever lyrics. While it would be interesting to see a choral group complement a full swing band, it seems a chorus, piano and bass were more than enough.