Duke Ellington Plays "Sophisticated Lady"

Duke Ellington led his big band from 1923 until his death from lung cancer in 1974. Early on, he had his group of reliable members in his band by 1935 with many more additions down through the years of such great musicians such as Louie Bellson, Clark Terry, Jimmy Blanton and others. Many of these members stayed with the band right up to Duke's passing away in 1974. Son Mercer Ellington organized a tribute band to his father which he led until his own death in 1996. Mercer's son Paul brought together another new group of musicians to take over the legacy of Duke Ellington with a tribute band shortly after Mercer's passing.

In 1965, Duke Ellington and his orchestra were in Copenhagen when they played as an encore "Sophisticated Lady" with a magnificent rendition by the band's lifelong member Harry Carney (who had been with Duke's band since its founding in 1923) on baritone sax. It's full and lushly romantic.