During its 1958 European tour, the Ellington orchestra played two concerts in Copenhagen, parts of which were broadcast and recorded and are now released for the first time. After their sensational appearance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival and with the 1957 Shakespearean Suite album riding high in the jazz charts, the Duke and his men were enjoying a new popularity. Despite varying sound quality in parts, this album featuring mainly familiar material and soloists has much to recommend it.
A fast-paced (and frantic) Newport Up (part of the Newport Jazz Festival Suite), featuring Jimmy Hamilton, Clark Terry and Paul Gonsalves, leaves the impression that the soloists and entire orchestra were determined to vacate the stage as soon as possible. But on Funny Valentine things slow down and improve markedly with sensitive performances by a lyrical Hamilton and a growling Quentin Jackson.
The old favourite Perdido is a feature for Terry’s witty flugelhorn. More prosaically, Harry Carney delivers his already “standard” rendition of Sophisticated Lady with its long-held concluding notes, underscored by Duke’s tinkling keyboard. Hank Cinq – taken from the Shakespearean album – receives a short but satisfying outing with Britt Woodman. The banal (and now fortunately unfashionable) lyrics of What Else Can You Do With A Drum, from the album A Drum Is A Woman and “spoken” by Ozzie Bailey, is best left unheard.
Not surprisingly, Johnny Hodges raises the tone with his always welcome restatements of Prelude To A Kiss and Thing’s Ain’t What They Used To Be. The rabble-rousing El Gato has all trumpets on fire plus Anderson’s stratospheric concluding statement. On a long (11.28) Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue, Paul Gonsalves is better recorded and even improves on his sensational Newport appearance. The Copenhagen audience obviously loved it.
The “bonus” titles, recorded in Copenhagen in 1950, feature a gentle solo version of I Can’t Get Started by Duke, and a long (10.26) and uneven Body And Soul with an initially hesitant Don Byas and Jimmy Hamilton. It is a Ducal curiosity – as is the bouncy A Little Blues. The final solo titles – Sophisticated Lady and Mood Indigo were recorded (with spoken introductions) by Duke for a charity organization in Aarhus. They are the hidden gems in an otherwise not essential (but still welcome) package.
Discography
(1) Take The A Train; Newport Up; My Funny Valentine; Perdido; Sophisticated Lady; Sonnet To Hank Cinq; What Else Can You Do With A Drum; Rockin’ In Rhythm; Prelude To Kiss; Things Ain’t What They Used To Be; El Gato; Hi Fi Fo Fum; Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue; (2) I Can’t Get Started; Body And Soul; A Little Blues; (3) Sophisticated Lady; Mood Indigo (79.10)
Ellington (p) on all tracks with:
(1) [The 1958 Concerts: Danish Radio] Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry, Ray Nance (t); Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders (tb); Paul Gonsalves (ts); Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts); Johnny Hodges (as); Russell Procope (as, cl); Harry Carney (bar, cl, bcl); Jimmy Woode (b); Sam Woodyard (d); Ozzie Bailey (v).
(2) [After Hours In Copenhagen 1950] Don Byas (ts); Jimmy Hamilton (cl).
(3) [After Hours In Aarhus 1950] Ellington (solo).
Storyville 1018540
