This is by no means the first collection released posthumously from Ellington’s 1958 European tour, and the opening two-thirds of the album may not be the best example of that period. It has its good points, including a live version of the band’s mid-1950s arrangement of ‘My Funny Valentine’ (with trombone solos from Woodman and plunger-muted Jackson) and some notably aggressive readings of ‘Rockin’ In Rhythm’ and ‘Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue’ – the impression being accentuated by a balance often favouring the rhythm-section over the brass.

Less good is the fact that tape-speeds don’t seem totally consistent from track to track; and, while the notes explain that the original tapes have been lost, and what’s here consists of off-air recordings of Danish Radio broadcasts, clearly much of the concert has not survived. On the other hand, it’s no disadvantage that there’s only one vocal (the Ellington calypso ‘What Else Can You Do With A Drum’) and that Woodyard’s drum feature (‘Hi Fi Fo Fum’) here consists of only the last third of the piece.

But what’s of greater interest is the previously unknown 25-minute ‘bonus’ material from the band’s 1950 European tour. Three-quarters of this derives from an after-hours club session with the rhythm-section-less piano of Ellington on three lengthy numbers, joined by Hamilton and the Continental-resident Don Byas (see Peter Vacher’s review in Jazzwise 295); the tenorman had joined the band for their tour and here excels himself on a ‘Body And Soul’ that includes both his typical ballad improvisation and double-tempo work. And Duke is totally unaccompanied on the final six minutes – a double-sided 78rpm disc of which only 10 copies were pressed as a charity competition prize! Not only its rarity should recommend this material, but the quality of the playing, which then reminds you that Ellington’s piano contributions during the concert are always worth noticing too.