Ellington at Newport 1956

[bilboinsa]

I was listening to our local jazz station (KRTU) the other night, when I heard a song that just filled me with happiness. Checking their archives, I found it was "Diminuendo In Blue and Crescendo In Blue" by Duke Ellington's band off a Newport 1956 festival. WOW! I can't stop playing that album now that I've downloaded it (iTunes has it). Everyone, trumpets included, are absolutely terrific. You can't listen to that one track without getting happy. It's amazing. The only other DE album I had was Blues In Orbit. What have I been missing???
_________________
Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2;
Kanstul 1525;
1927 Conn 22B
1970 B&H Regent
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit...it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."
http://www.myspace.com/schilkeb2
Member: http://xeml.buglesacrossamerica.org/

[TrumpetAce]

When I heard "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" for the first time, I was about 13. It was the turning point in my life. I knew then that I wanted to be a jazz musician. Like you, I was also filled with that indesribeable feeling of joy and awaken-ness ( is that even a real word?)
_________________
TA

[A.N.A.Mendez]

[FDC05]

LOTS of stories associated with that concert, and specifically that tune. My favorite is (don't jump on me if it's not true... just the story I heard):

Paul Gonsalves (sax solo) showed up to the gig drunk. Duke was pissed, so he left him out on the stand for, what is now, the amazing 27 choruses. Anyone ever heard that?

Also... pretty commonly known that the sax solo started a HUGE frenzy in the crowd! People dances and just going crazy, causing a riot. Try doing that today with a jazz solo!!!! Those were the days
_________________
Mark

[tastoll]

"Backstory in Blue: Ellington at Newport" by John Fass Morton..a great new book on that evening by Rutgers Press...really an amazing story in regard to all the participants involved....

http://www.amazon.com/Backstory-Blue-Ellington-Newport-56/dp/0813542820/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267278741&sr=1-1
_________________
Todd A. Stoll
New York, NY

[FDC05]

I'm definitely going to pick that up! Thanks Todd!
_________________
Mark

[jazz_trpt]

Isn't Gonsalves a wonderfully interesting player? That solo is wild. And Cat Anderson's solo at the end...phew.

Clark Terry sounds great on "Newport Up" on that recording, too.

I remember backing up Clark on a gig in 1993 (?) or so, and we had a transcription of that tune (Diminuendo/Crescendo as one arrangement) that we opened up for Clark to blow on. He said he hadn't played that tune in 40 years, and still remembered his part (and played along with the ensemble).
_________________
Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

[ZeroMan]

[Lars Nilsson]

Hi!
Does anybody knows where to find or have Diminuendo in blue transcript för Newport 1956. It´s with four trombones and the solos?
Best Lars Nilsson