This 1958 set by the
Dave Brubeck Quartet comes from the Newport Jazz Festival on a day which served as a tribute to
Duke Ellington, with each band playing a set primarily drawn from
Ellington's vast repertoire. Alto saxophonist
Paul Desmond and drummer
Joe Morello are in top form, as is bassist
Joe Benjamin (who first worked with
Ellington in 1951 and was his regular bassist from 1970 to 1974) who substitutes for
Eugene Wright. The inspired choice of "Jump for Joy" makes for some of the most magical moments, while "Perdido" provides an extended workout for
Desmond and
Brubeck. "Liberian Suite Dance No. 3" is oddly described in the liner notes as coming from Black, Brown and Beige, though it is actually one movement of
Ellington's
Liberian Suite, which was premiered in late 1947 and quickly dropped from his repertoire.
Brubeck's "The Duke," an elegant tribute to
Ellington that showcases
Desmond's lyrical alto and the exciting finale of "C Jam Blues" (the latter spotlighting
Morello are also highlights. "Take the 'A' Train," omitted from the album credits, is heard as a one-chorus tag at the conclusion. It is a bit odd that several tracks were re-recorded several weeks later without explanation in the notes, evidently due to the audio problems which plagued
Ellington's own set from that evening at Newport, though the applause is dubbed in at the conclusion of these selections.