Although
the two founding fathers of jazz took about 60 years to join forces and make
their first studio record together, the long wait was definitely worthwhile. A
special acknowledgement is due to producer Bob Thiele, the architect behind The Great Summit who managed to gather
these two jazz greats in Manhattan for a meager two days of recording.
Despite
the short duration of this reunion, The
Great Summit offers 17 outstanding compositions by Ellington effortlessly
interpreted by Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars. The record begins with
“Duke’s Place” where Ellington sets the stage with an infectious piano melody,
which bolsters Armstrong’s singing about the wonders of such a joyful joint.
Armstrong’s trumpet is more prominent on “Cotton Tail”, where he also displays
some of his excellent scat ability. “It Don’t Mean a Thing” is another favorite
of mine, although I must admit to prefer Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of Duke’s
classic on her Songbook.
The Great Summit closes with the beautiful “Azalea”, which was
composed by Ellington with Armstrong in mind, and where their piano and trumpet
combine to harmonic perfection. Have a listen:
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