This release contains the complete master takes from the only full studio session ever made by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington together. The date was originally divided onto two albums: 'Together For The First Time' and 'The Great Reunion of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington'.
As a bonus a true rarity that appears on CD here for the first time ever: Louis and Dukes last preserved appearance together, promoting their album on the Ed Sullivan TV Show, as well as an additional song by Louis alone which completes all existing music from that program.
Tracklisting:
01. Dukes Place 5:03
02. Im Just A Lucky So And So 3:09
03. Cottontail 3:42
04. Mood Indigo 3:57
05. Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me 2:38
06. The Beautiful American 3:08
07. Black And Tan Fantasy 3:59
08. Drop Me Off In Harlem 3:49
09. The Mooche 3:38
10. In A Mellow Tone 3:48
11. It Dont Mean A Thing
(If It Aint Got That Swing) 3:58
12. Solitude 4:55
13. Dont Get Around Much Anymore 3:31
14. Im Beginning To See The Light 3:37
15. Just Squeeze Me 3:58
16. I Got It Bad (And That Aint Good) 5:31
17. Azalea 5:02
18. Dukes Place [Live] 2:20*
19. In A Mellow Tone [Live] 3:28*
20. Nobody Knows The Trouble
Ive Seen [Live] 2:27*
Total time: 75:47 min.
Tracks #1-10, from the Roulette album
"Together For The First Time" (SR52074)
Tracks #11-17, from the Roulette album
"The Great Reunion" (SR 52103)
Both albums later reissued in a two-fer collection
entitled "Echoes of an Era" (RE-108)
(*) Bonus tracks not on the original albums
Personnel on tracks #1-17:
Louis Armstrong (vcl, tp), Duke Ellington (p), Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d).
Recorded in New York, April 3 & 4, 1961
Bonus tracks on #18-20:
Louis Armstrong (vcl, tp), Duke Ellington (p), Trummy Young (tb), Joe Darensbourg (cl), Irving Manning (b), and Danny Barcelona (d).
On #20, only Louis Armstrong & studio orchesta.
Recorded at the Ed Sullivan Show, CBS TV Studio, New York, December 17, 1961.
Original sessions produced by Bob Thiele
Engineer: Ray Hall
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Reviews:
"In 1961, Duke Ellington basically sat in with Armstrongs band, and the two got down to some serious good-time nostalgia. This small-group session is a relaxed yet spirited one, with the leaders alternating between each others best-known songs. One of the best things about this configuration is the sound of the Dukes piano--an underrated pianist, he seldom recorded in such an intimate context. As for Armstrong, his playing here is sharp and inspired, his singing full of ragged glory."
All Music Guide
"This disc presents an interesting selection of Duke's compositions recorded in 1961 under the leadership of Duke and Louis and recalls memories of the All Stars, Lunceford and various Duke groups."
Vic Bellerby -Jazz Journal
