Music Review

Album: The Great Summit: The Complete Sessions

Artist: Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong

Released 1961, re-mastered 1990


This album is what one would expect when the two biggest powerhouses in jazz come together to make an album. Recorded in 1961 in New York City, The Great Summit is the product of a two day recording session between the two icons of jazz. Brought together by Blue Note records, this short session is the only time in history that these two heavy hitters came together to collaborate on an album. The wonderful sounds of the Duke's piano are perfectly complemented by the sweet tones of Armstrong's trumpet as well as the rasp of his voice. The two stars are backed up Barney Bigard on clarinet, Danny Barcelona on drums, Mort Herbert on string bass, and Trummy Young on trombone. All of the members of this small ensemble had something special to bring to the table. Each instrument offers a masterful sound and style in the album. All 17 tracks are excellent tunes that exemplify what jazz should be.

The opening track, "Duke's Place" starts the album in the best possible way. The song opens with Ellington's simple yet unfathomably catchy piano riff followed by Armstong's iconic voice. The song also features a clarinet solo by the very talented Barney Bigard.

Another memorable song is "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Aint Got That Swing)". This tune is a showcase of the amazing talents Armstrong has. The song opens on a trumpet solo and then takes a mellow turn to make room for Armstrong's iconic voice. Before the song is over, we hear yet another trumpet solo that wraps up the song.

To accompany the upbeat swing tunes on the album, The Great Summit also has its fair share of slower tempo, mellow numbers. Track 12, “Solitude”, opens slowly with Ellington’s piano accompanied only by a slow, steady drum beat. Armstrong’s voice joins in and plays a call and answer back and forth with the trombone. The song takes a warm turn with an outstanding clarinet solo that sets of a trombone and piano melody that, in turn, sets off a trumpet solo. The instrumental bit of the song is a wonderful display of the different instruments playing off of one another. The song ends with one last sung verse from Armstrong.

The special edition version of this album also includes a second disk that contains alternate takes of songs, false starts, and conversations between the musicians. This second CD brings a much more intimate feel to the music and gives the album life. This album would be a special addition to any jazz fan's collection and is sure to become an instant favorite.