Joel Roberts
July 2002

Combing the Catalog
Archive <& /articles/blue_archive.tmp &>

By Joel Roberts

Richard Nixon and Duke Ellington? A strange pair to be sure. But in 1969, the soon to be disgraced president hosted a gala White House concert in honor of the great composer and bandleader's 70th birthday. And what a swell party it was. The concert, recorded by the Voice of America and now being released for the first time in the U.S. by Blue Note, features an all-star lineup performing an all-Ellington program that captures the joy of what has to be the most swinging night ever at the White House.

On hand were 16 jazz luminaries including Clark Terry, Gerry Mulligan, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, J.J. Johnson, Louie Bellson and Joe Williams, along with a fittingly stellar quartet of pianists: Billy Taylor, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines and Hank Jones. The orchestra moves quickly through some two dozen standards from the Ellington-Strayhorn songbook before closing with a brief religious/patriotic section that's by turns inspirational and maudlin, but perhaps de rigueur given the magesterial setting. Ellington himself then sits down at the piano to improvise a quiet tune dedicated to First Lady Pat Nixon.

There's tighter ensemble playing here than on most all-star gigs and less of the competitive oneupmanship that sometimes mars such events. There are some fine individual moments, too - Desmond's tender tenor on "Chelsea Bridge" and Mulligan's equally sweet baritone on "Sophisticated Lady"; Johnson's rollicking trombone on "Satin Doll"; Terry and Bill Berry trading exuberant trumpet solos on "Squeeze Me;" the joy in Joe Williams' voice on "Jump for Joy."

Mostly, this one-of-a-kind recording is an opportunity to sit back and enjoy some of the finest jazz ever composed performed by some of the finest musicians around. The concert, put together by the VOA's Willis Conover and White House adviser (and noted jazz musician) Leonard Garment, makes a fitting tribute to a true master of American music.

Duke Ellington: 1969 All-Star White House Tribute

Personnel: Gerry Mulligan, Paul Desmond - saxophones; Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson - trombone; Clark Terry, Bill Berry - trumpet; Duke Ellington, Billy Taylor, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines, Hank Jones piano; Jim Hall - guitar; Milt Hinton - bass; Louie Bellson - drums; Joe Williams, Mary Mayo - vocals.
Track listing:: I Got It Bad, Chelsea Bridge, Satin Doll, Sophisticated Lady, Just Squeeze Me, I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart, Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, In A Mellow Tone, Sentimental Mood, Prelude to a Kiss, Ring Dem Bells, Drop Me Off in Harlem, All Too Soon, It Don't Mean a Thing, Things Ain't What They Used To Be, Perdido, Warm Valley, Caravan, Mood Indigo, Prelude to a Kiss, I Didn't Know About You, Praise God and Dance, Come Sunday, Heritage, Jump for Joy, Pat.