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Ellington at Newport is a 1956 live jazz album by Duke Ellington and His Band of their 1956 concert at the Newport Jazz Festival, a concert which revitalized Ellington’s flagging career. Jazz promoter George Wein describes the 1956 concert as “the greatest performance of [Ellington’s] career… It stood for everything that jazz had been and could be.” It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, which ranks it “one of the most famous… in jazz history”. The original release was partly recreated in the studio after the Ellington Orchestra’s festival appearance.

Ellington released a follow-up album also recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport 1958, two years later.

In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Track listing:

Remastered 1999 CD: Ellington at Newport (Complete)

Disc one

“The Star-Spangled Banner” – 1:10
Father Norman O’Connor Introduces Duke & the Orchestra / Duke Introduces Tune & Anderson, Jackson & Procope – 3:36
“Black and Tan Fantasy” – 6:21
Duke Introduces Cook & Tune – 0:26
“Tea for Two” – 3:34
Duke & Band Leave Stage / Father Norman Talks About The Festival – 2:30
“Take the ‘A’ Train” – 4:27
Duke Announces Strayhorn’s A Train & Nance / Duke Introduces Festival Suite, Part I & Hamilton – 0:41
“Part I – Festival Junction” – 8:10
Duke Announces Soloists; Introduces Part II – 0:38
“Part II – Blues to Be There” – 7:09
Duke Announces Nance & Procope; Introduces Part III – 0:19
“Part III – Newport Up” – 5:33
Duke Announces Hamilton, Gonsalves & Terry / Duke Introduces Carney & Tune – 0:25
“Sophisticated Lady” – 3:52
Duke Announces Grissom & Tune – 0:17
“Day In, Day Out” – 3:50
Duke Introduces Tune(s) and Paul Gonsalves Interludes – 0:23
“Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue” – 14:20
Announcements, Pandemonium – 0:44
Pause Track – 0:06

Disc two

Duke Introduces Johnny Hodges – 0:18
“I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” – 3:38
“Jeep’s Blues” – 4:36
Duke Calms Crowd; Introduces Nance & Tune – 0:42
“Tulip or Turnip” – 2:49
Riot Prevention – 1:08
“Skin Deep” – 9:13
“Mood Indigo” – 1:30
Studio Concert (Excerpts) – 4:01
Father Norman O’Connor Introduces Duke Ellington / Duke Introduces New Work, Part I & Hamilton – 1:02
“Part I – Festival Junction” – 8:46
Duke Announces Soloists; Introduces Part II – 0:32
“Part II – Blues To Be There” – 7:48
Duke Announces Nance & Procope; Introduces Part III” – 0:16
“Part III – Newport Up” – 5:20
Duke Announces Hamilton, Gonsalves & Terry / Pause / Duke Introduces Johnny Hodges – 0:41
“I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” – 3:47
“Jeep’s Blues” – 4:31
Pause Track – 0:06

Tracks 9-19 on CD2 were not part of the original performance.

Personnel:
Duke Ellington – piano
Cat Anderson – trumpet
Willie Cook – trumpet
Ray Nance – trumpet, vocals
Clark Terry – trumpet
Quentin Jackson – trombone
Lawrence Brown – trombone
John Sanders – trombone
Britt Woodman – trombone
Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet
Jimmy Woode – double bass
Al Lucas – bass
Jimmy Grissom – vocals
Sam Woodyard – drums

___________________

Released: November 1956
Recorded: July 7-8, 1956
Length: 43:53 (original release)
129:57 (1999 expanded and remastered edition)
Label: Columbia
Producer: 1956 LP: George Avakian
1999 CD: Phil Schaap