Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

New Orleans Suite

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Released
  
1970

Release date
  
1970

Genre
  
Jazz

Artist
  
Duke Ellington

Label
  
Atlantic Records

New Orleans Suite httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen550New

Recorded
  
April 27 & May 13, 1970

Studio
  
National Recording Studio in New York, NY

New Orleans Suite (1970)
  
Orchestral Works (1970)

Awards
  
Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Similar
  
Duke Ellington albums, Jazz albums

New Orleans Suite is the eighth studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Atlantic label in 1970. The album features the final recordings of longtime Ellington saxophonist Johnny Hodges, who died between the album's two recording sessions. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band in 1971.

Contents

The suite was commissioned by George Wein for the 1970 New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Reception

In his review for Sounds, Jack Hutton remarked that "a Creole influence permeates the work, a lazy Delta feel laden with nostalgic sadness which is a probably a[sic] truer reflection of the historic city than the good-time trad which has helped to popularise it." He praised the solos of Norris Turney, criticized those of Cootie Williams, and concluded that "This suite, while it doesn't rank with Ellington's greatest works, proves that the piano player is still vitally creative well into his seventies."

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 3 stars and states "Interesting if not essential music with a few memorable themes being the main reason to acquire this release". The Penguin Guide to Jazz includes the album as part of its suggested "Core Collection," and awards it a four-star rating.

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington.

  1. "Blues for New Orleans" - 7:40
  2. "Bourbon Street Jingling Jollies" - 4:00
  3. "Portrait of Louis Armstrong" - 3:02
  4. "Thanks for the Beautiful Land on the Delta" - 3:38
  5. "Portrait of Wellman Braud" - 4:05
  6. "Second Line" - 6:00
  7. "Portrait of Sidney Bechet" - 3:55
  8. "Aristocracy a la Jean Lafitte" - 3:57
  9. "Portrait of Mahalia Jackson" - 4:53
  • Recorded at National Recording Studio in New York, NY on April 27 (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8) and May 13 (tracks 3, 5, 7 & 9), 1970.

    • Personnel

  • Duke Ellington – piano
  • Cootie Williams, Fred Stone - trumpet
  • Money Johnson, Al Rubin - trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8)
  • Cat Anderson - trumpet (tracks 3, 5, 7 & 9)
  • Booty Wood, Julian Priester - trombone
  • Dave Taylor - bass trombone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8)
  • Chuck Connors - bass trombone (tracks 3, 5, 7 & 9)
  • Russell Procope - alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8)
  • Norris Turney - clarinet, alto saxophone, flute
  • Harold Ashby - clarinet, tenor saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves - tenor saxophone
  • Harry Carney - clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
  • Wild Bill Davis - organ (track 1)
  • Joe Benjamin - bass
  • Rufus Jones - drums

    • Songs

    1Blues for New OrleansDuke Ellington's Washingtonians7:50
    2Bourbon Street Jingling JolliesDuke Ellington's Washingtonians4:06
    3Portrait of Louis ArmstrongDuke Ellington's Washingtonians3:05

    References

    New Orleans Suite Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA