Although
Duke Ellington passed away on May 24, 1974, this posthumous effort can be thought of as his orchestra's final record.
Duke's son
Mercer took over the big band and at least for a short time still had some surviving veterans in which to form a nucleus. Baritonist Harry Carney is heard on two numbers (taking a solo on "Drop Me Off in Harlem") from the first session before he too passed away. Also quite prominent is trumpeter
Cootie Williams along with such new (and temporary) bandmembers as tenor saxophonist
Ricky Ford, trumpeter Barry Lee Hall, trombonist
Art Baron and altoist Geezil Minerve. The music (which includes the tribute "Carney," a fine feature for the band's new baritonist
Joe Temperley) is very much in the
Ellington style and mostly consists of updated remakes of Ducal standards. This disc provides a fine finish for the classic jazz institution. ~ Scott Yanow