Fifty years ago today, 8 April 1970, during his stay in Vancouver, Duke Ellington took part in a broadcast of the CBC programme In The Round.
Turning to the indispensable Duke Where and When site for details...
Ellington is introduced by host Mike Neun in the debut of Neun's first television show. It appears the interview was rebroadcast in 1976 or later because there is currently a video circulating on Youtube which opens with a segment by the 1970s pop group ABBA.
In this "interview," Ellington sits in the audience and says nice things about flying into Vancouver, talks about his Sacred concerts, his feelings about God and then discusses My People. In reply to an audience member's suggestion he should write about the history of jazz, he explains he already has, citing A Drum is a Woman. He ends by playing Satin Doll and during the closing credits, Meditation.
During the interview Ellington says he's "come into Vancouver twice in the last little while." The Springfield Union reported he flew to Los Angeles from Vancouver to tape his upcoming Happy Days appearance, and returned the same day.
Stratemann, Vail, New Desor and Timner include bassist Joe Benjamin and drummer Rufus Jones in both the Vancouver and Los Angeles shows, but they are not visible in the CBC video, where he is backed by a CBC studio band led by Doug Parker, with Wally Snider, Fraser MacPherson (saxes), Don Clark, Stew Barnett (trumpet), Ian McDougall (trombone), Ray Moga (guitar), Tony Clitheroe (bass), George Ursan (drums).
I've 'trimmed' the Ellington appearance on In The Round from a longer presentation, broadcast later (possibly 1976?) when it was prefaced by contributions from Johnny Mathis and ABBA. The original version on Youtube complete with 70s pop music may be viewed here.
No comments:
Post a Comment