Soul Rebirth: Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue - Duke Ellington & his Orch., 1956 - Newport, R.I.

HEAVEN BROKE LOOSE, AND HERE IS THE EVIDENCE!!!

Paul Gonsalves gets most of the credit for this amazing performance but it is the rhythm section driven hard by Sam Woodyard that takes it over the top! It was the drummer who got Elaine on her feet. Once again the drummer doesn't get his due for his vital role in a historic performance. Woodyard is the man!

One of the greatest moments in Jazz History in my opinion! Hallelujah! 🙏🏻🙌🏻🎷

The backstory of this song was amazing!

Christ almighty this is such a good piece of music

True story: Jo Jones was slapping a newspaper driving the beat offstage and that’s what inspired the rhythm section.

In college in 1973 where I started to get interested in Jazz. This performance made me a follower for life.

That was supposed to be Duke last song as it was after midnight, but Father the Norman Connors told Duke that there was no way he was leaving now, the place would broken into a riot. So Duke played a soothing number to bring the crowd down so every one could go home peacefully.

Paul just electrifies the crowd!

Good Evening: Only 33,346 views? You gotta be kidding.

It was swinging so hard and grooving so great it didn't even seem like 27 choruses. At the end of the 27th chorus you just want Paul Gonsalves to keep going.

This recording blows me away as much now as it did when I first heard it as a teenager, 40 years ago. It's the encapsulation of jazz and joy.

Awesome!

I almost have the whole solo memorized at this point xD

This is when Swing basically told Bop "yes, you're the shit now, but remember where you came from". Fascinating and mesmerising explosion of Jazz music by the Duke and his band!

As Duke mentions in the intro, the piece was actually written in the 1930s. It was recorded in Sept. 20, 1937 in NYC. It was released on 2 sides of a 78rpm record. There's no tenor sax on the original record. The Ellington reed section at that time consisted of Barney Bigard,cl; Johnny Hodges, cl,ss,as; Harry Carney,cl,ss,baris; Otto Hardwick,as,bsx. Barney Bigard who had mostly played tenor with King Oliver in Chicago played some for Ellington in the late 1920s-early thirties but most of his work was on clarinet. Ben Webster who was part of the Jimmy Blanton period with Ellington was the first real tenor soloist with that band.

7.12.2021 America's fascination with its blondes. More likely than not, the woman referred to in these comments was drunk, she got up to dance because she was feeling good, and NOT to be "a muse for the band." Give me a break - like these cats needed a muse. But put all their swingin' on her, good thing she was there. she said facetiously

I transcribed Paul's solo some years ago... it was quite a learning experience! 🙂

At one point producer George Wein, fearing a riot, tried to get Duke to stop playing. Duke would have none of it! 🙂

This got the Duke on the cover of Time magazine 😀

One can hope, one can live another hundred years but one will never hear the likes of this ever again

This is great becouse it is fun, envolving, uprising. Paul Gonçalves was in epiphany state. I never get tired listening it.

Thank you for this precious recording. It is a monument. Duke. Thank you.

All colors enjoying Jazz, back in the day of musical orchestras.

aFTER ALL, Paul Gonsalves is the Best. 50s from Finland, in this age, P and E forever. Thank YuO.

Terrific!! One of the high points of jazz. Small point: It's sad that some marketing hack was permitted to edit out the long, long honk by Paul Gonsalves that was on the original recording as released back then. That was essential to the music and deserves to be left in as played. Still, truly beautiful music.

And don't forget Cat Anderson's high notes at the end. the super-driving drums of Sam Wooodyard in perfect mix with bass of Jimmy Woode, and that guy shouting is Duke, and his shouts are placed just where they will give the most push to Paul G. In fact, the whole band. many to become famous names in jazz, was smoking that night: here is the list (from Wikipedia): Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson (trumpet), Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson (trombone), Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone), Johnny Hodges, Russel Procope (alto saxophone), Harry Carney (baritone saxophone), Jimmy Woode, Sam Woodyard (drums), and Duke Ellington (piano)

Great sound and excellent performance of musicians and audience.. Gonsalves plays like God. 👍

Beatle mania has nothing on the Duke

Recorded just before Stereo records came out, Columbia was there for a MONO recording. Many years later they found another recording by Voice of America and Columbia pains takingly "married the two tapes together" and the latest albums are supposed to be out now, only 60+ years later and IN STEREO!!! Duke had the ladies dancing on the tables !!! 😂

EPIC.

I BECAME ENLIGHTENED.
THIS HIGHEST PEAK IN MUSIC
MADE ME ENLIGHTENED.

I AM BUDDHA THE ZORBA NOW

This was recorded by Voice of America (VOA) for broadcast on shortwave around the world.

What a band! what a soloist! what a performance! When Duke re-took the crown as king.

Best jazz ever!!!

You can't swing any harder than that!

I just remember that day in 1980 when my dad gave me this vinyl to listen to. That was the day I decided I was going to be a Cat Anderson clone and played trumpet until my lips bled. Never made it, but got pretty close.

This is a recording that has been in the back of my head forever since then, and been my standard on how big band should be orchestrated, should be performed, should be remembered. I'm grateful my dad decided to let me play this on my record player to enjoy. I know he always did.

The irony is that the very music that killed the popularity of jazz among teenagers in the late 50s is here already being performed by jazz musicians before anyone thought to brand it rock n roll.

A performance for the ages!!! Hallelujah indeed! Get me something to wipe up!

This is the greatest sax solo ever and the drum solo " skin deep-bellson" the best

When I first heard this years ago I was driving and had to pull off the road! Incredible experience. Still love it to this day.

Saw THE DUKE At South Pacific Hotel Auckland NZ about74😮😮

Oh, to have been there! One of life's great moments.

One of the best Jazz moments in History. Everyone in trance with Paul Gonsalves solo. I heard there were live versions with over 70 chorus solo.

Never tire of this.