Flamingo is a 1940 jazz standard composed by Ted Grouya with lyrics by Edmund Anderson. It was first recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra with Herb Jeffries on vocals on December 28, 1940, and released by Victor as 27326B in early 1941 - the track briefly charted in 1941. The original arrangement by Billy Strayhorn helped define a new, ornate vocal background for Ellington's band - a development Ellington later called a turning point in vocal accompaniment. The tune belongs to the swing-big band jazz genre and has become a standard covered by many artists. A later instrumental version was recorded for Capitol in 1953 - a Strayhorn arrangement that emphasizes the melody with Ray Nance on violin and Paul Gonsalves on tenor sax. Notable US chart hits include Duke Ellington’s 1941 recording ( #13 ), Earl Bostic and his Orchestra in 1951 ( #1 R&B ), The Gaylords in 1958 ( Flamingo L'Amore, #98 Pop ), Little Willie John in 1961 ( #17 R&B ), and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1966 ( #28 Pop, #5 Easy Listening ). The story and music of Flamingo reflect how Ellington and Strayhorn adapted to changing times and helped shape modern jazz arrangement.
