Duke Ellington: The Great Paris Concert – Pure Pleasure Records

This album “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. By Bruce Eder/AMG

Personnel: Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, Cootie Williams – trumpet

Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors, – trombonePaul Gonsalves, Johnny Hodges, – saxophoneHarry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope – clarinet, saxophoneRay Nance – violin, cornet , Duke Ellington – piano, Ernie Shephard – bass, Sam Woodyard – drums Milt Grayson – vocals

Tracklisting

Side A: 1.Kinda Dukish/Rockin’ In Rhythm 2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street3. The Star-Crossed Lovers 4. All Of Me 5. Theme From Asphalt Jungle”

Side B: 1. Concerto For Cootie 2. Tutti For Cootie 3. Suite Thursday In Four

Movements: Misfit Blues/Schwiphti/Zweet Zurzday/Lay-By

Side C: 1. Perdido 2. The Eighth Veil 3. Rose Of The Rio Grande 4.Cop Out 5.Bula

Side D: 1. Jam With Sam 2. Happy-Go-Lucky Local 3. Tone Parallel To Harlem
Produced by Neshui Ertegun

Recorded: February 1963 at The Olympia Theatre, Paris, France

Label: Atlantic

Cat No: PPAN SD 2-304

Format: 180 gram LP x 2 gatefold sleeve

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, LyndhurstHall, London