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.
Portrait of Johnny Hodges, Pt. II (Podcast #19-001)
Portrait of Johnny Hodges, Pt. I (Podcast #18-020)
The Treasury Shows, Pt. I (Podcast #18-019)
Tiger Rag & its Ellington Contrafacts (Podcast #18-018)
Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald (Podcast #18-017)
Sittin’ In, Part II (Podcast #18-016)
The Ellington Greatest Hits Medley (Podcast #18-015)
Portrait of Louis Armstrong (Podcast #18-014)
Piano In the Foreground, II (Podcast #18-013)
Portrait of Al Hibbler (Podcast #18-012)
Beyond the Valley of the Usual Suspects (Podcast #18-011)
Portrait of Ivie Anderson (Podcast #18-010)
Where to Start? (Podcast #18-009)
The Symphonic Ellington (Podcast #18-008)
Portrait of Sonny Greer (Podcast #18-007)
Beyond the Usual Suspects, Again (Podcast #18-006)
Duke Ellington’s “String Section” (Podcast #18-005)
Sittin’ In (Podcast #18-004)
Portrait of Ben Webster, Pt. II (Podcast #18-003)
Portrait of Ben Webster, Pt. I (Podcast #18-002)
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