1958: DUKE ELLINGTON with JOHN DANKWORTH and HUMPHREY LYTTELTON | Monitor | BBC Music | BBC Archive

The legendary US jazz composer Duke Ellington speaks to two of England's finest Jazz musicians - Johnny Dankworth and Humphrey Lyttelton - about his style of jazz, the simple secret to keeping a big band together, his compositions, and the critics.
This clip is from Monitor, originally broadcast 12 October, 1958.
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[@mikelukebaynham]

So glad the BBC has made this available 5.04 Is easily my favourite musician joke. There are so many anecdotes about Ellington being smooth and debonair, it's so nice to see it on film, as it doesn't come across in his other interviews, for whatever reason.

[@Beehashe]

Class act all the way! Too bad there are no more like him.

[@richardsawyer5428]

The legend that is Humph. Wasn't he at Salerno then played his trumpet outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day? He said some very rude words at 6.30 pm on Radio 4 . A sharp intake of breath then hysterics from the I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue panel and audience. 2 fine gentlemen and Humph. What a treat.

[@captainrichieparadise5918]

Oh man, need more of this kinda thing!

[@renton8142]

What a treat!

[@lazydgsf7429]

Duke Ellington occupies the same place in Music history; Jazz being part of music history. Also important to remember where this comes from.

[@sevenwatson5854]

What a great moment in time!! Thanks for this!

[@garryleeks4848]

Who likes a bit of jazz 👍

[@walkingtheboogie]

Wow. Thanks for uploading this. What a gem. Shame we don't get to watch Mr Ellibgton play. I bet that would have been great

[@chambersofhourrors9393]

Wow! Thanks for posting!

[@martinsmith500]

This is amazing

[@Twentythousandlps]

This was during the Elllington band's return to Britain, after a 19 year absence.

[@tonygiraldes7848]

Just the greatest 😊♥️

[@justinleslie1]

“The gimmick I use is to give them money” 😅

[@fromchomleystreet]

..

[@Hyslop65]

Genius

[@benriemersma8137]

If the Duke had a little more time Im sure he would like to give credit to BIlly Strayhorn for writing Chelsea Bridge

[@waldolydecker8118]

Everybody, including Duke, knows Strayhorn wrote Chelsea Bridge, along with dozens of other tunes in the Ellington Book, most prominently, the band's theme song after 1941. Ellington not "giving credit" to Strayhorn here had nothing to do with "needing more time." He didn't do it because it wasn't necessary.

[@narcissist69]

Nice 👌