The tracks within this first of two volumes were drawn from two separate concerts recorded on the same evening at the Alhambra in Paris. Like many releases of quasi-legal origin, it is hard to say that Duke Ellington himself would have authorized the release of these performances, as there are some problems with a squeaky reed in spots. "Take the 'A' Train" is joined in progress, while there are numerous other live versions of medleys like "Black and Tan Fantasy/Creole Love Call/The Mooche" and "Kinda Dukish/Rockin' in Rhythm." That said, the band is in good form. Among the highlights are works of fairly recent vintage: "Newport Up" (showcasing a wild tradeoff of brief exchanges between Clark Terry, Paul Gonsalves and clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton), a medley of "Such Sweet Thunder" and "Sonnet to Hank Cinq," though "What Else Can You Do With a Drum" is a bit of a dud. As usual, Johnny Hodges' masterful alto sax is generously featured in several numbers, including "Jeep's Blues," "All of Me" and a rousing "Things Ain't What They Used to Be." Ellington collectors will want to look for this European import, which has also been issued by other labels.
Alhambra: Oct 27th 1958
Duke Ellington
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Alhambra: Oct 27th 1958 Review
by Ken Dryden
Track Listing
Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Duke Ellington | 03:23 | Amazon | ||||
2 | Duke Ellington | 09:08 | Amazon | ||||
3 | Duke Ellington | 05:12 | Amazon | ||||
4 | Duke Ellington | 04:08 | Amazon | ||||
5 | Duke Ellington | 04:09 | Amazon | ||||
6 | Duke Ellington | 04:53 | Amazon | ||||
7 | Duke Ellington | 04:07 | Amazon | ||||
8 | Duke Ellington | 06:28 | Amazon | ||||
9 | Duke Ellington | 02:08 | Amazon | ||||
10 | Duke Ellington | 03:19 | Amazon | ||||
11 | Duke Ellington | 03:32 | Amazon | ||||
12 | Duke Ellington | 02:47 | Amazon | ||||
13 | Duke Ellington | 04:01 | Amazon |