DESS and its sister organization in UK, DESUK, have together produced a CD as a gift to the members, just in time for Christmas. This year we have selected a dance date from the Holiday Ballroom in Chicago on November 10, 1957. The band is the same as appeared at the Newport Festival in the previous year, except that Harold Baker on trumpet and Ozzie Bailey, vocal, are added.
Blue Jean Beguine
The sound on the CD is quite all right, and above you’ll find a sample with Cat Anderson playing trumpet on his own composition. The sound of the audience adds to the autenticity of this real dance date. The contents can be seen on the copy of the CD booklet (top picture), which on its inside has got interesting liner notes by Roger Boyes. We find some rare numbers in the program, such as Mambo Jambo by Perez Prado, In The Mood by Joe Garland and Happy One by Duke himself. In the years just after the Newport ’56 Ferstival, Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue with the Wailing Interval was more or less mandatory in any appearance by Duke Ellington and his orchestra.
We wish all DESS members happy listening!