This release presents all of the existing material related to the legendary 1956 Newportperformance by the great Duke Ellington. This was the classic concert which Ellingtoncompared to being born again in the public’s mind, and at which alto saxophonist PaulGonsalves excelled playing chorus after chorus on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue”.While that live performance was utilized on the original LP Ellington at Newport (ColumbiaCL-934), the rest of the tracks there belonged to a studio session made two days after theactual show. This edition presents first the complete live concert, followed by the studiotracks. As a bonus, we have also added a complete March 1956 studio session, aswell as three extremely rare tracks from a broadcast at Basin Street East, in NewYork, recorded by the band nearly three months before the Newport event.

Duke Ellington & His OrchestraClark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln, vcl), Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman,John Sanders (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (as, cl), PaulGonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (bar, cl, b-cl), Duke Ellington (p, cond), Jimmy Woode or Al Lucas (b),Sam Woodyard (d), Jimmy Grissom (vcl on “Day In, Day Out”), Father Norman O’Connor (m.c.).

CD1 & CD2, 1-4: Live at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island, July 7, 1956.

CD2, 5-11: Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York, July 9, 1956.

Bonus tracks (CD2, 12-17):

12-14: Same personnel as above. Universal Studios, Chicago, March 19, 1956.

15-17: Same personnel as above except Nelson Williams & Phil Barboza (tp) replaceWillie Cook & Ray Nance. CBS broadcast from Basin Street East, New York, April 14, 1956.

• - 1 -

  • 1. Star Spangled Banner 1:14
  • 2. Father Norman O'Connor & Duke Ellington Intros 3:39
  • 3. Black and Tan Fantasy 6:20
  • 4. Tea For Two 4:02
  • 5. Ellington & O'Connor Announcements 2:46
  • 6. Take the a Train 4:22
  • 7. Festival Suite Part 1: Festival Junction 8:45
  • 8. Festival Suite Part 2: Blues To Be There 7:57
  • 9. Festival Suite Part 3: Newport Up 5:47
  • 10. Sophisticated Lady 4:19
  • 11. Day In, Day Out 4:08
  • 12. Diminuendo In Blue and Crescendo In Blue 14:46
  • 13. Ellington Announcement 0:54
  • 14. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) 3:38
  • 15. Jeep's Blues 5:10

• - 2 -

  • 1. Tulip or Turnip 3:02
  • 2. Announcement 1:07
  • 3. Skin Deep 9:12
  • 4. Mood Indigo 1:22
  • 5. Studio Rehearsal 4:01
  • 6. Father Norman O'Connor & Duke Ellington Intros [Studio] 1:03
  • 7. Festival Suite Part 1: Festival Junction [Studio] 8:46
  • 8. Festival Suite Part 2: Blues To Be There [Studio] 8:23
  • 9. Festival Suite Part 3: Newport Up [Studio] 5:30
  • 10. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good [Studio] 3:59
  • 11. Jeep's Blues [Studio] 4:36
  • 12. March 19th Blues [Studio] 5:31*
  • 13. Prelude To a Kiss [Studio] 3:33*
  • 14. Miss Lucy [Studio] 3:20*
  • 15. Caravan [Broadcast] 5:16*
  • 16. Sophisticated Lady [Broadcast] 3:54*
  • 17. Stompin' At the Savoy [Broadcast] 4:21*