The Great Summit: The Complete Sessions [Limited Edition]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
For starters, The Great Summit produced not only itself, both in a long-valued one-CD set and now this 2-CD Complete Sessions, but also a later summit, Count Basie and Duke Ellington's tandem showdown, First Time. On its own, though, The Great Summit needs no later chapters to justify its celebrated standing in jazz annals. This was and is terrifically important music, Ellington in grand form between recording the Paris Blues soundtrack and cutting ace sessions like Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington & John Coltrane in late 1962. For his part, Armstrong was on leave, as well, resting up between ceaseless tours as a bona fide jazz superstar and veteran.

So Ellington and Armstrong join hands, backed by the latter's band (Trummy Young on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Mort Herbert on bass, and Danny Barcelona on drums), tackling 17 of Duke's tunes. Armstrong's sweet, rolling vocal growl gives the tunes endless hugs, just as his band both cuts plump solos and then backs way off so Ellington can throw down alternately swinging and unapologetically modernist solos himself. What distinguishes this two-CD set from the originally issued, one-CD Complete Session is the second disc, The Making of the Great Summit. What's that worth? Well, it's a fan's dream, with studio chatter, with myriad false starts and several alternate complete takes ("In a Mellow Tone," "Duke's Place," and "Drop Me Off in Harlem"). Pure gold if you love Duke and Louis separately--unalloyed platinum if you love them (or just the thought of them) together. --Andrew Bartlett

From Jazziz
By the time Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong entered the recording studio together for two 1961 Roulette sessions, they were national icons and international ambassadors of jazz. On Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, Ellington took the place of pianist Billy Kyle in Louis Armstrong's All-Stars for a program of his own compositions. It's no wonder that Armstrong, a major influence on Ellington from the start, was at home with the material. On The Beautiful American, clarinetist Barney Bigard, a... read more

The Great Summit: The Complete Sessions [Limited Edition]

Tracks:

Duke's Place
I'm Just A Lucky So And So
Cottontail
Mood Indigo
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
The Beautiful American
Black And Tan Fantasy
Drop Me Off In Harlem
The Mooche
In A Mellow Tone
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Solitude
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Just Squeeze Me
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Azalea

Tracks:

In A Mellow Tone (Warm-Up/Take One - Complete Take)
I'm Beginning To See The Light (Take One - False Start/Take Four - Two False Starts/Take Five...
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me (Take One - Rehearsal, Working Out Arrangement/Take Two...
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Take Two - Breakdown/Take Three - Breakdown/Take Four - Discussion...
Duke's Place (Take Five - Lucky Roberts Intro, Complete Take)
Drop Me Off In Harlem (Take Two - Complete Take)
I'm Just A Lucky So And So (Conversation/Take One - False Start/Take Two - Complete Take...
Azalea (Take Eight - Discussion, False Start/Take Nine - False Start/Take Ten - Complete In Two...
Black And Tan Fantasy (Take Three - False Start/Conversation Leading To Take Four/Take Five...
Band Discussion On Cottontail

Amazon.com

For starters, The Great Summit produced not only itself, both in a long-valued one-CD set and now this 2-CD Complete Sessions, but also a later summit, Count Basie and Duke Ellington's tandem showdown, First Time. On its own, though, The Great Summit needs no later chapters to justify its celebrated standing in jazz annals. This was and is terrifically important music, Ellington in grand form between recording the Paris Blues soundtrack and cutting ace sessions like Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington & John Coltrane in late 1962. For his part, Armstrong was on leave, as well, resting up between ceaseless tours as a bona fide jazz superstar and veteran.

Customer Reviews:

Essential.......2007-04-06

I can't image why these two CDs are rarely listed under essential to a well rounded jazz collection. The two greatest jazz masters unite along with Young,Bigard, Herbert and Barcelona, who are also wonderful. With Ellington's compositions & piano playing and Armstrong's strong voice & trumpet performance, both hold the listener spellbound. Plus, we get to listen in on the false starts and the conversations between takes!

Surreal - Transcends Music.......2006-12-09

A gift from the heavens. Listened to Azalea 66 times in a row when I first heard this lp.
First review above by Jean-Marie from France hits the nail right on the head. Good job.

One of the most indispensable jazz records.Buy it !!!!!!.......2002-07-26

Don't miss it,this two CD set is one of the most indispensable purchase you have to do.There is some of the most talented,incredible,outstanding music here.This is the first real encounter between these two absolute giants,Louis and Duke,and also the last one,and jazz listeners had to wait until 1961 to hear this.Even if they met frequently since the thirties,they never really recorded together,and this time will be the last one (except for the soundtrack of the movie,"Paris blues").Before,they recorded a couple of tunes together ("Snafu"),but this is the ONLY album commited by these kings.Ellington was in a very rich period for five or six years (in fact,since Sam Woodyard took the drums chair;Sam's coming into Duke's band gave to this very somptuous orchestra the little something it needed).At the same time,Armstrong's career,after he recorded some inestimable albums in the fifties ("Satch plays Fats","plays W.C.Handy","the Good Book","a musical autobiography","Porgy and Bess"),Satch's career was going down slow,allways playing the same repertoire,and losing some of his greatest musicians.In fact,I think this is Louis Armstrong's testament,his last great record.No,this is not a great record;it's a terrific,outstanding,amazing moment of music,some of the greatest he ever blowed.My father owned this album,and I'm used to listen to it for more than 25 years.
The challenge was to make Duke Ellington meet Armstrong's band (Barcelonna,Kyle,Shaw,Young and Bigard,who spend many years in Duke's band,a long time before).The result is majestuous.Armstrong has allways been addicted to Duke's music,even if he rarely played his songs;and Duke has a rare opportunity to shine as a piano player (and he surely could !!!).
The first CD is made of master takes;it is almost impossible to make a choice between these 17 tunes.Louis' imperial talent shines from the first second to the last one.He plays with supreme majesty all through these tunes,and his voice may be at its highest level."I got it bad" is an indescriptible masterpiece;Louis plays some very simple phrases,and sings like nobody did;Duke's piano counterpoints are the essence of piano playing."Azalea" simply is one of the most magnificent tunes ever recorded,but we'll talk about it later."I'm just a lucky so and so" has some down home blues playing by Duke,and an infectious vocal part by Satch.Etc,etc.Each and every tune is at the same highest level.17 tunes,17 masterpieces;two LPs,or one CD,one of the ten records you HAVE to own.My only regret is that Duke couldn't go to the studio with is drummer,Sam Woodyard,who simply was one of the greatest drummers in the history of jazz.
The second CD includes tracks recorded during the rehearseals.And this is very interesting.It's terrific to hear how these guys could play a tune together.But the most interesting tune here is "Azalea".Just as Monk's unbelievable work on "'round midnight",issued on the CD version of "Thelonious himself":a study in progress.Duke wrote this piece in the late fourties,recorded it twice,and was never pleased with the result,because he wrote it with Armstrong in mind;now was the opportunity to have Louis playing this incredibly beautiful tune,and singing these improbable verses.And after a couple of false starts,and some vocal troubles,Louis manages to make this tune his own,and gave an immortal masterpiece.I mean,this is not a good tune,or a great one;this is one of the greatest masterpieces I ever heard in jazz.The version opf "black and tan fantasy" is magnificent,too,and here,Louis was confronted to Bubber Miley's version,recorded more than thirty years before,and which will never be surpassed.But Louis makes this tune his own,one more time,he doesn't use a plunger like Bubber did,and gives us a new conception of the tune.And what a majestic one !!!
This (or these,because they originally were issued on two separate Lps) record is an absolute must in every jazz lover's discotheque.It's one of the records I listen to very often (and I have some 6000 records at home);something unreal,some magical minutes in the musical career of two of the greatest kings of jazz,Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.

Couldn't live without this one.......2002-01-05

The styles of these two masters blend remarkably well on this collection of Ellington tunes performed with a combo of Ellington's rhythm section and Louis' Allstars.Duke's elegant playing and arrangements stand out and Armstong's blowing is as strong and direct as ever. Somehow it all adds up beautifully. Every track offers something unique. The masters seem to energize each as well as the other featured musicians. Anyone interested in Jazz who doesn't already own this should not hesitate.

It simply doesnýt get any better than this........2001-02-17

This recording is a must for all music lovers. What makes the two CD version so fascinating is the second "out-take" CD, which allows one to be in the studio with them and gain a unique insight into two genius composer/performers at work. Not only into their creative process (one of the numbers was made up on the spot) but also how they included some of the best instrumentalists of the day (Trummy Young, Barney Bigard and Mort Herbert) into that process. If you didn't know much about jazz before (which I didn't) this one will get you hooked!

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