The Great Summit

The Great Summit: The Master Takes is a 2001 Blue Note album by Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. It is a reissue of the two Roulette albums Together For The First Time (track 1–10) and The Great Reunion (track 11–17) from 1961. (These two albums have later resurfaced as a Roulette double-LP entitled The Duke Ellington/Louis Armstrong Years and in 1990 as a remastered CD called Together for the First Time/The Great Reunion.)

The contents of this album is an all-Ellington program performed by himself and Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars. These 17 selections are the entire result of the only studio meeting by Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. They both lead a small band - Louis Armstrong's All Stars - and play classic compositions by Ellington such as "Mood Indigo" and "Black And Tan Fantasy".

The Great Summit: The Master Takes
All songs composed by Duke Ellington (except where otherwise stated).
 * 1) Duke's Place — 5:03 Lyrics by William Katz, Bob Thiele and Ruth Roberts.
 * 2) I'm Just a Lucky So and So — 3:09 Lyrics by Mack David.
 * 3) Cottontail — 3:42
 * 4) Mood Indigo — 3:57 Co-composer is Barney Bigard with lyrics by Irving Mills.
 * 5) Do Nothin' till You Hear From Me — 2:38 Lyrics by Bob Russell.
 * 6) The Beautiful American — 3:08
 * 7) Black and Tan Fantasy — 3:59 Co-composer is James "Bubber" Miley.
 * 8) Drop Me Off in Harlem — 3:49 Lyrics by Nick Kenny.
 * 9) The Mooche — 3:38 Lyrics by Irving Mills.
 * 10) In a Mellow Tone — 3:48 Lyrics by Milt Gabler.
 * 11) It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) — 3:58 Lyrics by Irving Mills.
 * 12) Solitude — 4:55 Lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills.
 * 13) Don't Get Around Much Anymore — 3:31 Lyrics by Bob Russell.
 * 14) I'm Beginning to See the Light — 3:37 Co-composers are Don George, Johnny Hodges and Harry James.
 * 15) Just Squeeze Me — 3:58 Lyrics by Lee Gaines.
 * 16) I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) — 5:31 Co-composer is Paul Francis Webster.
 * 17) Azalea — 5:02

The Making of the Great Summit
On August 1, 2000 Blue Note released the compilation The Great Summit: The Complete Sessions, which contained the reissue above plus a second CD with alternate takes (rehearsals, false starts etc.). The alternate takes were digitally remastered in 2000.
 * 1) In a Mellow Tone — 4:15
 * 2) I'm Beginning to See the Light — 6:56
 * 3) Do Nothin' till You Hear From Me — 5:42
 * 4) Don't Get Around Much Anymore — 10:43
 * 5) Duke's Place — 4:18
 * 6) Drop Me Off in Harlem — 4:57
 * 7) I'm Just a Lucky So and So — 4:37
 * 8) Azalea — 8:05
 * 9) Black and Tan Fantasy — 7:13
 * 10) Band Discussion on Cottontail — 1:08

Personnel

 * Duke Ellington (piano)
 * Louis Armstrong (trumpet, vocals)
 * Barney Bigard (clarinet)
 * Danny Barcelona (drums)
 * Mort Herbert (bass)
 * Trummy Young (trombone)

Credits

 * Bob Thiele (producer)
 * Ray Hall (recording engineer)
 * Arnold Meyers (cover photograph))
 * Michael Cuscuna (reissue producer)
 * Ron McMaster (remix and remaster)