The Night Ellington Woke Everyone Up
Paul Gonsalves played 27 choruses and changed everything — that really happened.
The story of this recording is one of the most documented nights in jazz history. On July 7, 1956, Duke Ellington brought his orchestra to the Newport Jazz Festival, and by most accounts the band had been playing a routine set when things suddenly shifted. Tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves launched into an extended solo on 'Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue' that lasted 27 choruses, the crowd surged toward the stage, and Ellington — whose commercial standing had been fading through the early 1950s — found himself on the cover of Time magazine weeks later. The original Columbia LP captured highlights from that night, but this complete edition restores the full arc of the performance, including material left off the original release, giving a much clearer picture of the whole evening rather than just its climactic moment.
Who's playing
Al Lucasdouble bass
Duke Ellingtonpiano
Harry Carneybaritone saxophone
Paul Gonsalvestenor saxophone
Johnny Hodgesalto saxophone
Russell Procopealto saxophone, clarinet
William “Cat” Andersontrumpet
Willie Cooktrumpet
Quentin Jacksontrombone
John Sandersvalve trombone
Britt Woodmantrombone
Sam Woodyarddrums
Where next?
More by Duke Ellington
All 22 albums →
The musicians on this record
Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues 1959
Johnny Hodges
plays alto saxophone here
plays alto saxophone here
Daylight Express 1959
Paul Gonsalves
plays tenor saxophone here
plays tenor saxophone here
