Search - Duke Ellington - Copenhagen Parts One and Two on DVD

Great concert!

The Wizard | UT. | 11/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Part One:

1. take the A train

2. midriff

3. afro bossa

4. ad lib on nippon

5. the opener

6. chelsea bridge

7. blow by blow

excerpts from BLACK, BROWN & BEIGE:

8. work song

9. come sunday

10. montage

Part Two:

1. take the A train

2. satin doll/sophisticated lady

3. meow

4. passion flower

5. things aint what they used to be

6. jeeps blues

7. perdido

8. tootie for cootie

9. kinda dukish/rockin in rhythmn

10. take the A train

11. He huffed and puffed & blew his horn



Two shows from 1965 in Copenhagen. Excellent B&W video, with excellent mono sound.

Duke was 65 at the time of this concert, and was certainly at the height of his powers. All the great soloists are here: Johnny Hodges, Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves.

Highlights are Johnny Hodges solo during 'Passion Flower'. Cat Anderson solo during 'meow'.

All in all, a very enjoyable concert, complete with a stunning roster of soloists.

The one disturbing and, for me embarrassing thing for Duke during this concert, is Paul Gonsalves SLEEPING through 3 songs, with his horn in his mouth! I have never witnessed anything like this before, but Ellington, ignored him and let him snooze!

Aside from that, this is an amazing document of Ellington and his orchestra.

"