Various Artists - Duke Ellington in Coventry - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

During the year of 1966 Duke Ellington was touring Europe. Duke Ellington's sacred concerts had many incarnations, more than the three on the commercial records The First (1965), The Second (1968) and The Third (1973). At concerts Ellington often made changes in the proceedings - left out some numbers, and played others, and altered the succession of numbers played. This was evidenced at Coventry Cathedral on a winter's Monday, February 21st 1966. The Coventry concert had it's centerpiece in InchIn The Beginning GodInch, but apart from that it was no ordinary sacred concert Two numbers, InchCome SundayInch and InchTell Me It's The TruthInch would have a vocal on the issued record and in other performances of A Concert of Sacred Music the previous year, but were purely instrumental here - and the two numbers following InchIn The Beginning GodInch had no connection to a religious theme. With him on that day in Coventry Cathedral were some highly professional British vocalists, The Cliff Adams Singers and the baritone singer George Webb, giving the performance a special quality, which the band acknowledged by playing on the top of their game. The concert was filmed for TV, and part of it was telecast. Two numbers were regrettably omitted from the TV production, but are on this album, a powerful version of InchLight (Montage)Inch from Black, Brown And Beige, and the above-mentioned InchCome Sunday.Inch The concert also includes a premiere and only performance of a new Ellington composition InchCome Easter,Inch a premiere of another new Ellington piece InchWest Indian Pancake,Inch and one of the first performances of a piece which would become an important part of many concerts during the following years, InchLa Plus Belle Africaine.Inch