duke ellington uk tour c1962

[tooter]

During a radio broadcast of a Ronnie Ross/Bill Le Sage session, compere Ronnie Scott mentions that Duke Ellington was touring the UK at the time. As I have no accurate date for the session in the Ronnie Ross discography I am working on, I wonder if anyone can narrow it down for me by telling me the dates of any Duke Ellington tour of the UK during or near 1962. I have done some searching but without success. There are references to tours of Europe during that period but nothing specific that I could find.

Many thanks.

[EKE BBB]

From the information I have handy:

There´s a telecast recorded at Granada Chelsea studios, London (January 22, 1963) titled "Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra," and broadcasted February 13, 1963.

Included in "London: The Great Concerts" CD ( MusicMasters 65106-2)

[EKE BBB]

Probably anybody having "DUKE ELLINGTON: Day by Day, Film by Film" by Dr. Klaus Stratemann, would help much more.

[tooter]

Thanks EKE. I have located a copy of the Stratemann book at the British Library but won't be going there just yet so if anybody does have it to hand...

[JohnS]

Definitely January/February. I saw the band at the Gaumont Kilburn. I had problems getting home in the several degrees of frost and with snow on the ground. The band was something else. The sound of that sax section opening A Train was unforgetable.

[tooter]

John: You do mean 1963, don't you? Not 1962? Adding.. Yes, I remember that winter now, one of the worst there's ever been - ice on the river until May!

Edited November 16, 2004 by tooter

[JohnS]

I remember the weather and the music, was that '63?

[tooter]

Yes, I'm sure that's right, 1963 is safe enough I reckon.

Thanks a lot.

[brownie]

The Duke Ellington Day By Day' book by Dr. Klaus Stratemann does not list a European tour in 1962. There is a full itinerary for the January 12 to 28, 1963 tour of England followed by an European tour but there is no mention of the Gaumont Kilburn concert.

[tooter]

So it must be January 1963. Thanks Brownie - I shall amend the Ronnie Ross discography forthwith. The British Library Sound Archive entry only says "ca.1962". But how about that, John? I'm sure I didn't imagine the winter any more than you would have imagined the concert. Dr. Stratemann must be at fault, is the only other conclusion.

[JohnS]

Maybe it was the Astoria Finsbury Park? Both venues are in North London. It was forty years ago after all!

Strange, I can remember the sound perfectly.

Edited November 16, 2004 by JohnS

[brownie]

Maybe it was the Astoria Finsbury Park? Both venues are in North London. It was forty years ago after all!

Strange, I can remember the sound perfectly.

The 'DE Day By Day' book lists the opening concert as having been played at Finsbury Park, Astoria Cinema, on January 12, 1963!

Wish I could hear the sound too

[EKE BBB]

From duke-lym:

Here´s the complete itinerary:

January 1963:

12 London Finsbury Park Astoria

13 London Odeon Theatre Hammersmith

14 Birmingham Odeon Theatre New Street

15 Sheffield City Hall

18 Bristol Colston Hall

19 Manchester Free Trade Hall

20 Liverpool Empire Theatre

21 Liverpool Granada Studios

22 Liverpool Granada Studios

23 Leicester De Montfort Hall

25 Croydon Fairfield Hall

26 London Walthamstow Granada Telecast

27 London Odeon Theatre Hammersmith

Source Joe Igo Itinerary

...the band tour of Europe from Jan 9, 1963 until mid-March.  Most of the band went home March 4; Strayhorn and Ellington stayed behind.  Duke got sick and was hospitalized until March 11, returning to the US on March 15.  On Sept 6 they embarked on a tour of the middle east, the far east and India, returning via Zurich on Nov 29...

[tooter]

Unfortunately, Ronnie Scott doesn't mention just where Duke was when the session I have took place, otherwise I would have been able to give it a precise date. Pity!

[Durium]

Ellington had a concert in Holland Feb. 16, 1963 at the Dierentuin in The Hague and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.