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Rating: 
Summary: Desert Island Treasure
Review: This dvd from 1971 has it all. Beautiful video and sound (the advantages of European television technologies from that era are evident), great big band jazz. But much more. The Danish crew that filmed this set of two concerts (note, there is some repetition, but worry not, there is plenty to go around and no Duke orchestra ever did it the same each time) captures the intimacy and excitement not only of the concert itself, but of the magnificent Duke and his band in their final years. I saw them a year or so earlier at UC Berkeley, where Duke was given an honorary doctorate, and for years have dreamed of the moment when somebody, somewhere, would release a video of it, or a similar event. This is as close as it gets. It's all here. The spotlight on soloists (including appearances as regular band members by Cootie Willians and Ben Webster, both of whom had many compositions written just for them, and were long-departed from the band) for whom Duke composed many of his great pieces, and the fabulous style and humor Duke brought to everything. More than that, much of the video is filmed from directly behind Duke, so you not only get an intimate view of the master, but of the band as he saw it. What you'll see is a hard working group, fascinating individual expression and the improvisation and powerful ensemble work that Duke got from his bands. There is an added meaning because the great Johnny Hodges had recently died and within three or four years Duke, Paul Gonsalves and other stalwarts would be tooting for the angels. Duke Ellington is perhaps the greatest composer produced by America. To say he is in all his glory here in a beautiful concert film made over 30 years ago is a gross understatement that would earn a famous "aaaah, I love you madly" from him. I hope the Image Entertainment team that brought us this magnificent testimony finds us more such treasures. Find a Stan Kenton concert and I'm off to my desert isle with a smile on my face....
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