Duke Ellington - New Orleans Suite

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Free Music Notes for New Orleans Suite

Free Music Review: The New Orleans Suite
Hit: 5 Stars

As stated above, The New Orleans Suite was recorded at two separate sessions. Blues for New Orleans, Bourbon
Street Jingling Jollies, Thanks for the Beautiful Land on the Delta, Second Line, Aristocracy a la Jean LaFitte were recorded on April 27, 1970. It was Johnny Hodges last recording session. Cat Anderson was not at that recording session. Fred Stone and Al Rubin replaced him. On May 13, 1970 Cat Anderson returned and Money Johnson and Al Rubin departed.

Though I like all the songs, the Portraits are the ones I find most interesting. The Portraits have a conection with New Orleans and with Duke Ellington. " Portrait of Louis Armstrong" has Cootie Williams's gorgeous open horn tribute to his idol. It is one of Williams last great features.
It's a great piece. Ellington and Armstrong recorded together in 1961.
Wellman Braud was Ellington's bass player from 1926 until 1935. This portrait has Harry Carney on bass clarinet and Joe Benjamin on bass mimic Braud's bass playing style.
Portrait of Mahalia Jackson is Ellington's second recorded portrait of the singer. The first "Mahalia" was included in the Girls' Suite (1961). That piece is copyrighted by Ellington, but van de Leur says it's probably by Strayhorn. Norris Turney's flute is what I remember most about this portrait. Mahalia Jackson and Ellington recorded together in 1958.
The Portrait of Sidney Bechet was planned as a feature for Johnny Hodges on soprano saxophone. (His first such feature since the early 1940's.) But as Hodges had died two days
before it was given to Paul Gonsalves. Sidney Bechet was in Ellington's band for a few weeks in the 1920's.

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