Great Paris Concert [Atlantic]

Artist: Duke Ellington

Number of Discs: 2

Total time: 118:34
Label: Atlantic
Availability: In stock
Item #: 5293221

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Review

This set came about, in part, as a result of Ellington's signing to Frank Sinatra's Reprise label in November 1962, with the ending of his exclusive contract to Columbia. Six numbers from the three Paris dates were initially edited and released by Reprise as part of the ten-song Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits, but the bulk of the performances from those shows didn't surface until many years later as The Great Paris Concert on two LPs. For the CD reissue, the two separate releases were merged with the ten Greatest Hits songs appended to the double-LP's contents. The stuff from The Great Paris Concert is raw and largely unedited, and depicts the full Ellington band in extraordinary form, oozing excitement -- from the saxophone showcase on the opener, "Rockin' in Rhythm," the various sections of the band take flight at different points throughout this set, which includes such contemporary numbers as Ellington's theme music for an all but forgotten television series, {#The Asphalt Jungle}, and excerpts from {#Such Sweet Thunder} . Johnny Hodges is showcased in several solos, most notably on "Suite Thursday," a work whose original studio incarnation he missed appearing on; Cootie Williams ("Tutti for Cootie"), Paul Gonsalves ("Cop Out"), Ray Nance ("Bula"), and Cat Anderson ("Jam with Sam") get their own moments in the spotlight. The editing and equalization on the Reprise tracks is considerably smoother and more obtrusive, in terms of closing fades, from that on the Atlantic release, where the sound is rougher and more realistic, and one wishes that original tapes could have been found and the complete 26 numbers from the Paris shows reassembled together in an integrated fashion. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

Arguably the most remarkable of all jazz musicians, Duke Ellington's career was full of unique accomplishments. A fine stride pianist in the 1920s who was inspired by James P. Johnson and Willie "The Lion" Smith, Ellington evolved through the years and in the 1960s his percussive style made him sound like a young modernist. As a songwriter, Ellington wrote at least a couple thousand pieces including dozens of standards, lengthy suites, instrumentals for his orchestra, mood music and even a ballet. As an arranger, Ellington did not so much break the rules, he ignored them and invented his own. His arrangements blended together a variety of unique musicians, ranging from virtuosos to primitives, coming up with a distinctive and unusual ensemble sound. During 1926-74, Duke's big band always ranked with the five best of every era.

Born in 1899, Ellington was a professional musician by 1917 in his native Washington, D.C. He first came to New York in 1923 for a short time, returning the following year as the pianist with the Washingtonians, a combo led by banjoist Elmer Snowden. When Snowden departed after a money dispute, Ellington became the band's leader. They first recorded in December 1924 and, after a period playing regularly at the Kentucky Club, Ellington and his orchestra had their biggest break when they became the house band at the Cotton Club. The regular radio broadcasts soon led to fame and, despite some ups and downs commercially, the Duke Ellington Orchestra was a major attraction until Duke's death in 1974.

The Great Paris Concert, a two-CD set, features the Duke Ellington Orchestra at its best in 1963 performing such numbers as "Rockin' in Rhythm," "All of Me," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "Concerto for Cootie," four movements from "Suite Thursday," "Perdido," "Jam With Sam," "Black and Tan Fantasy" and the extended "A Tone Parallel to Harlem." With such soloists as trumpeters Cootie Williams, Ray Nance and Cat Anderson, trombonists Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper, altoist Johnny Hodges, tenor-saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, baritonist Harry Carney and Duke himself, the Ellington Orchestra was overflowing with talent.

The Great Paris Concert gives today's listeners an excellent sampling of Duke Ellington and his orchestra at the peak of their powers.

—Scott Yanow

Kinda Dukish; Rockin' in Rhythm; On the Sunny Side of the Street; The Star-Crossed Lovers; All of Me; Theme from The Asphalt Jungle; Concerto for Cootie; Tutti for Cootie; Suite Thursday; Perdido; The Eighth Veil; Rose of the Rio Grande; Cop Out; Bula; Jam With Sam; Happy-Go-Lucky Local; Tone Parallel to Harlem; Don't Get Around Much Anymore; Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me; Black and Tan Fantasy; Creole Love Call; The Mooche; Things Ain't What They Used to Be; Pyramid; The Blues; Echoes of Harlem; Satin Doll.

Duke Ellington, Piano; Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, Trumpets; Ray Nance, Cornet/Violin; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors, Trombones; Johnny Hodges, Alto Sax; Russell Procope, Clarinet/Alto Sax; Jimmy Hamilton, Clarinet/Tenor Sax; Paul Gonsalves, Tenor Sax; Harry Carney, Baritone Sax/Clarinet; Ernie Shepard, Bass; Slim Woodyard, Drums.

Live recording.