The correct answer to this open question is the following.
Both versions of the song "Don't Mean a Thing" sound great for the time. Duke Ellington's version is from the 1940s, while Chuck Brown's version is from the 2000s. So of course, they sound different.
Duke Ellington's version is the classic sound of the Great Big Horns section band from World War II times. This orchestra version is sublime and invites you to dance. The musicians -the horn section- were not only good musicians, they were virtuosos of their instruments: trumpets, saxophones, and more. The voices of these African American singers and players give the proper tone to the song.
On the other hand, Chuck Brown's version is a modern one, a jazzy-based tune, good arrangements, and a funky touch that give the song the peculiar style of Chuck Brown. His band, the "Soul Searchers," are also one-of-a-kind funky jazz musicians.
