Growling, plunger-muted brass and dramatic minor-themed pieces were among the first things that attracted the music world's attention to the young Duke Ellington, and Solid Old Man fits right in with that tradition. There is less stress on instrumental variety and compositional development than is usual for Ellington. Here, the emphasis is on the solid ensemble effects and the cumulative effects of repeated riffs. From the Essentially Ellington 2019: Jazz at Lincoln Center Library.