Ellington at Newport 1956

Prior to Newport, Duke Ellington's band had been in a creative and commercial downturn—so there was little buildup to this set. Now part of jazz lore, it’s immortalized for the riot-inducing 27-chorus solo by tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” (where Ellington can be heard urging him on as the crowd erupts) and several other tracks that fed off the crowd’s energy, particularly “Skin Deep” and a stompin’ “Jeep’s Blues.” It's the recording that made Ellington the beloved elder statesman we know him as today.