No video, but the music is what counts. The first version features the Ellington band playing an arrangement by Billy Strayhorn, from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, with Monk himself at the piano. The second, more interesting, from my perspective, is a “private collection” recording from 1962. The second arrangement, which may or may not have been done by Ellington, starts off in an extremely striking manner, though the conclusion, to my ears, sounds a bit too much like “standard Ellington”. It appears that Monk really didn’t care for sitting in with the Ellington band, because, while Duke announces that Monk will return for a second number, Monk walked off instead and didn’t return, as he so often did when things didn’t suit him. One has to feel sorry for Billy Strayhorn, who undoubtedly worked hard to impress Monk, but, well, Monk be Monk.
The first selection was posted by ldad12, while the second was done by elhombremalo
