The Great Summit

The Great Summit: The Master Takes
Studio album by
Released1961
RecordedApril 3–4, 1961
StudioRCA Victor Studio One (New York City)
GenreJazz
Length1:07:23
LabelRoulette (Blue Note)
ProducerBob Thiele
Duke Ellington chronology
Piano in the Foreground
(1961)
The Great Summit: The Master Takes
(1961)
Paris Blues
(1961)
Louis Armstrong chronology
A Rare Batch of Satch
(1961)
The Great Summit: The Master Takes
(1961)
I Love Jazz
(1962)
Together for the First Time
Original album cover.
The Great Reunion
Original album cover.
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]

The Great Summit: The Master Takes is a 2001 Blue Note album by Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. It is a reissue of the two Roulette albums Together For The First Time (track 1–10) and The Great Reunion (track 11–17) from 1961. (These two albums have later resurfaced as a Roulette double-LP entitled The Duke Ellington/Louis Armstrong Years and in 1990 as a remastered CD called Together for the First Time/The Great Reunion.)

The contents of this album is an all-Ellington program performed by himself and Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars. These 17 selections are the entire result of the only studio meeting by Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. They both lead a small band - Louis Armstrong's All Stars - and play classic compositions by Ellington such as "Mood Indigo" and "Black And Tan Fantasy".

The Great Summit: The Master Takes

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All songs composed by Duke Ellington (except where otherwise stated).

  1. Duke's Place — 5:03
      Lyrics by William Katz, Bob Thiele and Ruth Roberts.
  2. I'm Just a Lucky So and So — 3:09
      Lyrics by Mack David.
  3. Cottontail — 3:42
  4. Mood Indigo — 3:57
      Co-composer is Barney Bigard with lyrics by Irving Mills.
  5. Do Nothin' till You Hear From Me — 2:38
      Lyrics by Bob Russell.
  6. The Beautiful American — 3:08
  7. Black and Tan Fantasy — 3:59
      Co-composer is James "Bubber" Miley.
  8. Drop Me Off in Harlem — 3:49
      Lyrics by Nick Kenny.
  9. The Mooche — 3:38
      Lyrics by Irving Mills.
  10. In a Mellow Tone — 3:48
      Lyrics by Milt Gabler.
  11. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) — 3:58
      Lyrics by Irving Mills.
  12. Solitude — 4:55
      Lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills.
  13. Don't Get Around Much Anymore — 3:31
      Lyrics by Bob Russell.
  14. I'm Beginning to See the Light — 3:37
      Co-composers are Don George, Johnny Hodges and Harry James.
  15. Just Squeeze Me — 3:58
      Lyrics by Lee Gaines.
  16. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) — 5:31
      Co-composer is Paul Francis Webster.
  17. Azalea — 5:02

The Making of the Great Summit

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On August 1, 2000 Blue Note released the compilation The Great Summit: The Complete Sessions, which contained the reissue above plus a second CD with alternate takes (rehearsals, false starts etc.). The alternate takes were digitally remastered in 2000.

  1. In a Mellow Tone — 4:15
  2. I'm Beginning to See the Light — 6:56
  3. Do Nothin' till You Hear From Me — 5:42
  4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore — 10:43
  5. Duke's Place — 4:18
  6. Drop Me Off in Harlem — 4:57
  7. I'm Just a Lucky So and So — 4:37
  8. Azalea — 8:05
  9. Black and Tan Fantasy — 7:13
  10. Band Discussion on Cottontail — 1:08

Personnel

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Credits

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  • Bob Thiele (producer)
  • Ray Hall (recording engineer)
  • Arnold Meyers (cover photograph))
  • Michael Cuscuna (reissue producer)
  • Ron McMaster (remix and remaster)

References

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  1. ^ Arwulf, Arwulf. The Great Summit at AllMusic