In 1967, the west African nation of Togo released a postage stamp of Duke Ellington. Ellington reciprocated by writing the four movement Togo Brava Suite in 1971, the subject of this month’s episode of Ellington Reflections.
1967 Togo postage stamp celebrating Duke Ellington
A performance of the Togo Brava Suite performed by the European Broadcasting Union Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Andrew Homzy
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Togo Brava Suite (CD: “Togo Brava Suite” Storyville Records STCD 8323)
Recorded 28 June 1971, New York City
Cootie Williams, Richard Williams, Harold “Money” Johnson, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Buddy Pearson, Norris Turney, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.
Togo Brava Suite (CD: “Duke Ellington Live at the Whitney” Impulse! IMP 11732)
Recorded 10 April 1972, Whitney Museum, New York City
Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.
Togo Brava Suite (CD: “Togo Brava Suite” Blue Note Records 7243 8 30082)
Recorded 22 October 1971, Bristol, UK
Cootie Williams, Johnny Coles, Harold “Money” Johnson, Eddie Preston, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Norris Turney, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds ; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.
— Our closing music—-
It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)
Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City
Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.
Beyond the “Usual Suspects” once more (Podcast #19-021)
Duke Ellington’s Wordless Melodies for the Soprano (Podcast #19-020)
Beyond the “Usual Suspects” [Again] (Podcast #19-019)
“Rabbit’s Blues” – A Conversation with Johnny Hodges biographer Con Chapman (Podcast #19-018)
Portrait of Jimmie Blanton (Podcast #19-017)
Ellingtonian Geography (Podcast #19-016)
The Treasury Shows, Pt. V (Podcast #19-015)
Portrait of Lawrence Brown, Pt. II (Podcast #19-014)
Portrait of Lawrence Brown, Pt. I (Podcast #19-013)
The Treasury Shows, Pt. IV (Podcast #19-012)
Old Wine and New Bottles (Podcast #19-011)
Portrait of Otto Hardwicke (Podcast #19-010)
Happy Birthday, Duke! (Podcast #19-009)
Portrait of Bubber Miley (Podcast #19-008)
Portrait of Fred Guy (Podcast #19-007)
The Treasury Shows, Pt. III (Podcast #19-006)
Duke Ellington, Raconteur Extraordinaire (Podcast #19-005)
The Treasury Shows, Pt. II (Podcast #19-004)
And Now For Something Completely Different…. (Podcast #19-003)
Portrait of Johnny Hodges, Pt. III (Podcast #19-002)
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