Company in ‘Solitude’ : For Essence of Ellington, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine Went to the Source

On her most recent recording, “Solitude” (RCA), vocalist Cleo Laine is backed by a pianist who definitely won’t be on stage when she and her husband, saxophonist John Dankworth, appear tonight at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. At least, not in the flesh.

But the late Duke Ellington, who is heard tinkling the ivories as Laine sings the album’s title tune, will be there in spirit. Says husband Dankworth by phone from the couple’s “hideaway” in Sonoma: “I’m afraid anyone who doesn’t like Ellington is going to find too much of him in this show.”

Through the magic of electronics, Ellington, circa 1941, is heard accompanying Laine nearly 55 years later. The resulting track sounds as if the two were in the same room, listening carefully to each other.

Of course, it’s a trick that has been used before, most notably when Natalie Cole crooned “Unforgettable” in a duet with her late father, Nat. But seldom have two eras combined as successfully as they do on “Solitude.”

How the pairing came about was almost magical, according to Dankworth.

“We knew Duke very well from his visits to England [where Dankworth and Laine live], and a number of times he mentioned to Cleo that he wanted her to do something with the band. At one point, he asked her to do one of his ‘Sacred Concerts’ in England, but she was booked for something else.

“So there was always this tinge of regret that the two of them didn’t record together.”

For the “Solitude” album, which went to No. 11 on Billboard’s jazz chart after release earlier this year, Dankworth arranged 11 pieces associated with Ellington for the Ellington Orchestra, which continues under the leadership of Duke’s son, Mercer Ellington.

“When we started to do the album with the Ellington Orchestra, it became apparent that [Duke] was the one thing missing,” explains Dankworth, who also served as conductor and featured soloist on the album.

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Dankworth decided to find an Ellington recording that might be used. “My search proved elusive, though I knew his work well. Then one day I turned up the piano solos from 1941 and found one, ‘Solitude,’ that was just shouting for a vocal.

“I called Cleo over, and we listened to it, and I said to her, ‘Too bad it’s not in your key.’ Then, amazingly, at the end of the first chorus, Duke modulated right into her key. It was as if he were inviting her to join in.”

And indeed, Ellington’s easy chords and glistening embellishments work in eerie counterpoint to the singer’s gently paced presentation, while meshing equally well with the modern-day edition of his ensemble.

Laine and Dankworth spent the summer touring with the Ellington Orchestra to promote the album but made no appearances on the West Coast. For the Orange County date, Laine will be backed only by Dankworth and his three-piece rhythm section: pianist Larry Dunlap, bassist Steward McCain and drummer Jim Zimmerman. It’s a format that suits Dankworth just fine.

“I’ve experimented with a variety of small group sounds over the years and like the freedom of being the one horn in the band,” he explains. “It gives me the freedom to play.”

Dankworth, 68, gained prominence in his native London in the early ‘50s with a septet that was among the first bands in England to champion be-bop. His reputation as a technically proficient saxophonist is equaled by his talents as composer and arranger.

Since 1958, he’s written for both film and theater (“Modesty Blaise,” “Colette”) and is a founder of the London Symphony Orchestra’s pops programs. He’s been a guest conductor with various orchestras around the United States, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for his arrangement of “Caravan” with the London Symphony.

Laine, 67, was also born in London. She joined Dankworth’s group in 1951, and the two have been together ever since. They married in 1958.

“We’re currently basking in the glory of the Ellington recording and don’t quite know what to follow it with,” Dankworth says. Their next recording “will probably be a small group date, something Cleo’s rarely done. It should be quite refreshing.”

* Singer Cleo Laine and saxophonist John Dankworth appear tonight at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. 8 p.m. $22 to $32. (714) 854-4646.