Idiom59

Out of interest Portrait of Mahalia Jackson is on another album called the Girls Suite on Columbia. Recorded in the early sixties with Ray Nance as the soloist. As far as NOS is concerned the two tracks that really do it for me are Blues for NO and Portrait of Sydney Bechet. Johnny Hodges is his usual superb self and for someone making their last recording I doubt whether you could play a finer farewell. Paul Gonsalves plays a touching solo on Portrait of Sydney Bechet which was originally slated for Hodges. It must have been very difficult time for him and the band in general and I think they manage it very well.

You are indeed correct Ted. Paul Gonsalves did serve in India during WW2 and was on the sessions in question.A friend of mine,who has recently died,told me that while he (my friend) was serving in Calcutta with the RAF Paul would sit in with the Weatherford band at the hotel gig they had. Years later when Ellington came to Europe my friend managed to speak to Paul and reminded him of his Indian service,which Paul,apparently, recalled with great affection.