Duke Ellington's New Orleans Suite

In 1964, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra came to my high school. I was fourteen, and the experience is one I'll always treasure. Duke himself, the coolest cat I’d ever encountered, left a lasting impression on me. Despite being thirty minutes late (long before the days of GPS), Duke was completely relaxed and personable.

Two members of his band totally blew me away: Johnny Hodges and Cat Anderson. Hodges’ ballad playing was a master class in sensitivity, with a sensuous, lyrical tone that flowed effortlessly like a voice through the melodies. As a young trumpeter, I was particularly captivated by Cat Anderson. His versatility on the trumpet was unmatched, from his famous high notes to the rich, full tones he could produce in the middle and lower registers. That night, his showmanship was on full display as he effortlessly hit piercing high notes, driving the audience wild with his trumpet acrobatics.

New Orleans Suite is considered one of Duke Ellington's late masterpieces and my favorite extended Ellington work. It stands as a testament to his ability to capture the essence of a place through music and remains a significant work in the jazz canon.

It was composed by Duke Ellington to honor the city of New Orleans and its rich musical heritage. Here are some key points about the suite:

The suite was commissioned by George Wein for the New Orleans Jazz Festival and it draws inspiration from the city's vibrant culture, history, and its significant contribution to the jazz genre.

The music in the suite blends traditional New Orleans jazz elements with Ellington's unique orchestral style. It features a mix of blues, brass band sounds, and Ellington's signature big band arrangements.

The New Orleans Suite was released by Atlantic Records in 1970 following the death of Johnny Hodges. In his final days, Duke would sometimes play excerpts from the Suite in his performances, which he did on July 20, 1970 at La Bussola, a waterfront nightclub in Marina di Pietrasanta, near the resort of Le Focette, Italy.  From the Suite, the Ellington band played Second Line, Bourbon Street Jingling Jollie, Aristocracy A La Jean Lafitte, Thanks For The Beautiful Land, and Portrait Of Louis Armstrong.

The personnel included: Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Fred Stone, Nelson Williams (t), Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor (tb), Chuck Connors (btb), Russell Procope (cl,as), Norris Turney (fl,cl,as,ts), Harold Ashby (ts,cl), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (cl,bcl,bar), Duke Ellington (p), Wild Bill Davis (o), Joe Benjamin (b), and Rufus Jones (d).

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