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One of the undeniable highlights of President Richard Nixon's administration was the 1969 White House gala celebrating Duke Ellington's 70th birthday, though jazz fans waited 33 years for their release. The all-star band includes trumpeters Clark Terry and Bill Berry, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, guitarist Jim Hall, trombonists J.J. Johnson and Urbie Green, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Louis Bellson. There are three medleys of Ellington hits, with a new soloist for each song, since each of the brass and reed players is individually featured with the rhythm section. The first medley showcases Desmond's whisper-soft solo in "Chelsea Bridge," Mulligan's lyrical take of "Sophisticated Lady," and the sauntering feature for the trumpeters of "Just Squeeze Me," which is wrapped by an extended workout of "In a Mellotone" that spotlights just about everyone. The lush miniature of "In a Sentimental Mood" makes one wish that Hall and Hinton had recorded additional duets together, while Mulligan's somewhat wild arrangement of "Prelude to a Kiss" may have caused Ellington to lift an eyebrow. Billy Taylor takes over at the piano for a brief trio medley, while liner-note writer Doug Ramsey, who was present for the affair, mentions that the maestro sat bolt upright when he heard Desmond's flawless impression of Johnny Hodges during "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," which also has enjoyable solos by Mulligan and Dave Brubeck. Earl Hines' rollicking interpretation of "Perdido" is a crowd-pleaser. Singer Virginia Mayo's selections are easily eclipsed by the better-known Joe Williams, especially his emotional delivery of "Heritage." Ellington himself finally takes over the piano for "Pat," a lovely (and likely improvised) ballad dedicated to Mrs. Nixon. This wonderful tribute to Duke Ellington is highly recommended.
© Ken Dryden /TiVo
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Bill Berry, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Duke Ellington, MainArtist - Milt Hinton, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Malcolm Addey, Engineer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Billy Strayhorn, ComposerLyricist - Jim Hall, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Jones, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Desmond, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - J.J. Johnson, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Gerry Mulligan, Baritone Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Clark Terry, Flugelhorn, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Bellson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Louis Bellson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Urbie Green, Trombone, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Paul Francis Webster, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Billy Strayhorn, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Billy Strayhorn, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 EMI Records Ltd
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mitchell Parish, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Lee Gaines, Composer - Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, Composer - HENRY NEMO, Composer - John Redmond, Composer - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Bob Russell, Composer - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Bob Russell, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Milt Gabler, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, Author - Irving Gordon, Author - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, Composer - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Nick A. Kenny, Composer - Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carl Sigman, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Ted Persons, Composer - Duke Ellington, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mercer Ellington, Composer - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ervin Drake, Composer - Juan Tizol, Composer - Hans J. Lengsfelder, Composer - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sidney Keith Russell, Composer - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, ComposerLyricist - Juan Tizol, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, ComposerLyricist - Albany Bigard, ComposerLyricist - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Irving Mills, Author - Irving Gordon, Author - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Bob Russell, Author - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Sid Kuller, Composer - Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Paul Francis Webster, Composer - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Duke Ellington, Composer, MainArtist - Malcolm Addey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Kirchner, Producer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2001 Blue Note Records
Album review
One of the undeniable highlights of President Richard Nixon's administration was the 1969 White House gala celebrating Duke Ellington's 70th birthday, though jazz fans waited 33 years for their release. The all-star band includes trumpeters Clark Terry and Bill Berry, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, guitarist Jim Hall, trombonists J.J. Johnson and Urbie Green, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Louis Bellson. There are three medleys of Ellington hits, with a new soloist for each song, since each of the brass and reed players is individually featured with the rhythm section. The first medley showcases Desmond's whisper-soft solo in "Chelsea Bridge," Mulligan's lyrical take of "Sophisticated Lady," and the sauntering feature for the trumpeters of "Just Squeeze Me," which is wrapped by an extended workout of "In a Mellotone" that spotlights just about everyone. The lush miniature of "In a Sentimental Mood" makes one wish that Hall and Hinton had recorded additional duets together, while Mulligan's somewhat wild arrangement of "Prelude to a Kiss" may have caused Ellington to lift an eyebrow. Billy Taylor takes over at the piano for a brief trio medley, while liner-note writer Doug Ramsey, who was present for the affair, mentions that the maestro sat bolt upright when he heard Desmond's flawless impression of Johnny Hodges during "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," which also has enjoyable solos by Mulligan and Dave Brubeck. Earl Hines' rollicking interpretation of "Perdido" is a crowd-pleaser. Singer Virginia Mayo's selections are easily eclipsed by the better-known Joe Williams, especially his emotional delivery of "Heritage." Ellington himself finally takes over the piano for "Pat," a lovely (and likely improvised) ballad dedicated to Mrs. Nixon. This wonderful tribute to Duke Ellington is highly recommended.
© Ken Dryden /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 01:15:33
- Main artists: Duke Ellington
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 2002 Blue Note Records
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