Blow by Blow Ellington Duke 1961

In this clip recorded in 1961 Duke Ellington announces his tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves.
He refers to Paul's success at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival where the band performed Diminuendo and crescendo in blue in which Paul had to play a few chorusses of the blues. By the time he had played some 27 chorusses the crowd was standing on their chairs and all were screaming.This success dominated Gonsalves for the rest of his career.
The Newport recording is still available on a CD, brought out by Columbia VCK 40587

Afro Bossa Ellington Duke 1965

During a performance of the Duke Ellington in 1965 we hear the Duke presenting one of his recent compositions "Afro Bossa". Drummer Sam Woodyard sets the pattern and there is ample room for all of Ellington's star musicians. One notices back in the trumpet section Duke's son Mercer. He would would lead his father's band after Duke's death in 1974

Count me out Allen Henry Red 1942

Soundies - A new form of Entertainment
Soundies were a brand new form of entertainment conceived in early 1940, born in January 1941 and then suffered a lingering demise mid-way through 1947. They were three minute black and white films with an optical soundtrack designed to be shown on self-contained, coin-operated 16mm rear projection machines situated in bars, diners, nightclubs, roadhouses and other public places throughout the States and Canada.
In this soundie from 1942 one sees trumpetplayer Henry Red Allen and his Orchestra together with his long time partner trombonist J.C. Higginbotham backing up a set of dancers. Was Tab Smith the alto player?

Black and Tan Fantasy Ellington Duke 1958

Duke Ellington on tour. From a 1958 concert in Amsterdam (I think it was the Concertgebouw) we see a performance of a famous medley of tunes from the Duke's early repertoire.
Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call and the Mooche. Through the years Duke would frequently change the featured solo players, the arrangements and the assortment of instrumentation, all to keep it interesting for himself, challinging for the musicians and surprising for his audiences.

Never on Sunday Ellington 1965

During a dance concert somewhere in 1965 Duke Ellington features Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet. A tophit in those days, one called "Never on Sunday" . Next to Jimmy's playing there is some great full band arrangement with powerful trombone playing by Lawrence Brown
In 1943 Jimmy Hamilton replaced Barney Bigard in the Duke Ellington orchestra, and stayed with Ellington until 1968. His style was very different on his two instruments: on tenor saxophone he had an R&B sound, while on clarinet he was much more precise and correct, though fluent. He wrote some of his own material in his time with Ellington

Such Sweet Thunder Ellington Duke 1959

The Duke in 1959 in Zurich Switzerland. Duke announces Sweet Thunder feauring trumpet player Clark Terry

Duke Ellington in Zurich on October 9 1959.

This is a bit of a different clip. It gives you a bit of an idea what happened on the other side of the screen. How some of the musicians arrive on stage at the very last minute. A certain tension, the stage hands totally unconcerned with the presence of the bassist are just there to do a job. On cue they open the curtain, the Duke walks on while the band plays their signature tune. Duke all relaxed greets his crowd and the show is on the way!

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra  "Step in Time" 

from a film recorded in 1965. Fun to see all these people on the dancefloor patiently waiting for the intro by Sam Woodyard to finish so they can continue their 'step in time' and polite conversation with their partner.

A few weeks ago I received a video of Duke Ellington. The only info with it was that it was done in 1968. It looks like a studio recording with an audience and the clip board tells us it being part of a Ella Fitzgerald Show.
The band plays Satin Doll with a solo by Cootie Williams.

Recorded in 1968 Duke announces "Things ain't what they used to be" with a sole of alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges

In a smallgroup setting Ella Fitzgerald sings "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" with Duke Ellington on piano and bass and drums.
This was recorded in 1968 in a studio with an audience but I have no info where. I'm always impressed with the drummers of the Ellington band. A tremendous drive and depth in their playing. The drummer in this clip is Rufus Jones.
I was once playing a concert in one hall with our little group and in our interval the Ellington band would play across the hall. ( I guess we were hired as the interval band) It was in the eighties and Duke was not alive any longer and his son Mercer was leading. Mercer's son Paul Ellington was the drummer in the band
We got a chance to talk to him and we told him how much we liked his playing. He then mentioned that he had a long way to go still before he would hopefully reach the level of the drummers previously in that band. He then sat in with us and he certainly had that magic.
Paul Mercer Ellinton is now leading the Ellington band

All of Me Hodges/Ellington 1958

This is a clip from a live concert in Amsterdam on November 2, 1958.
Duke Ellington features his alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges in "All Of Me"