Although a 2000 live two-CD set from these performers (The Duo – Live) was issued a few years ago, the present collaboration was heard by relatively few listeners, being originally commissioned by the hi-fi company Bang & Olufsen. Inviting Pedersen to celebrate the Ellington centenary in 1999, they had the reward of Mulgrew Miller's first-ever experience of playing together with the bassist, who chose to evoke Duke's legendary duets with Jimmie Blanton. As well as the famous ‘Pitter Panther Patter’, we get mostly tunes such as ‘I Got It Bad’, ‘What Am I Here For’, Just Squeeze Me’ and ‘C Jam Blues’, which were all introduced during that brief Blanton period (‘Come Sunday’ appeared soon after his premature demise).

There are also four slightly earlier Ellington warhorses that were still in everybody's repertoire, plus two new blues tracks, and even the playing-times would not be out of place on 78rpm singles. Miller (who actually worked in the post-Ellington band run by his son Mercer) displays his own personality and doesn't try to imitate Duke, while one of the joys is hearing NH0P playing the melody on several ballads, as well as his ebullient rhythm and faultless intonation.