Personnel:
Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Rolf Ericson, Herbie Jones (tp), Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors (tb), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (as, cl), Jimmy Hamilton (ts, cl), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (bs, cl), Duke Ellington (p)
Reference: IJ 510
For the first time ever on DVD! Includes only version of "Harlem Suite" on film and an Ellington piano solo!
Among the numerous filmed performances by the Ellington band, this phenomenal London concert stands out for many reasons. The first one is that it contains the only complete performance of Duke's Harlem Suite on film. Written in 1950, this extended piece was first intended to be premiered by Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra. The premiere, however, was postponed indefinitely for various reasons and never actually took place. Other highlights include Ellington's solo piano version of his composition "Little African Flower", as well as a moving reading by Johnny Hodges' of "Isfahan" (from the "Far East Suite") and the "Banquet Theme", taken from Ellington's Shakespeare suite "Timon of Athens". This last piece had premiered the preceding year in Strattford, Ontario. Among the personnel, special mention is due to Swedish trumpeter Rolf Ericson, who occupied a seat in Duke's band for a while. Although he doesn't play, composer, arranger and Ellington's right hand Billy Strayhorn attended the concert, and can be seen in the audience with English trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton.
Tracks:
1. Perdido
2. Caravan
3. Isfahan
4. The Opener
5. A Tone Parallel to Harlem
6. Take the "A" Train
7. Banquet
8. Skillipoop
9. Little African Flower
10. Kinda Dukish & Rockin' in Rhythm.
Bonus Tracks: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. Recorded live in Zurich, Switzerland, September 1959.
11. Satin Doll
12. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
13. Basin Street Blues
14. Diminuendo in Blue
Total Time: 76 mins. (B&W / Mono).
