PRE ORDER: Ella Fitzgerald - Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen 6th February 1966 CD

GB4002CD

Wondrously uninhibited, and liberated from the added pressure of either a studio or a planned live recording, there is true magic, sparkling energy, and no lowering of intensity in this never-before-released unearthed gem.

The night before Ella Fitzgerald walked into Konserthuset in Stockholm and recorded what became The Stockholm Concert, 1966, the Pablo Records live album now considered among the essential documents of her late career, she played two concerts at Falkoner Theatre in Copenhagen.

Like many other Black American jazz musicians of her era, Denmark felt like home to Ella. It was a country where Black American jazz musicians found a degree of respect that the United States too often denied them.

Ella's ease in her adopted home was palpable when she walked onto the Falkoner Theatre stage that Sunday. And, now the results are released on record for the first time, and with the full blessing of Ella’s estate, we are treated to an irrepressible, unexpectedly vital addition to her canon

Credits

Ella Fitzgerald - vocals

Backed by:

Duke Ellington Orchestra featuring Jimmy Jones Trio (Tracks 1-5 Side A, Tracks 1-2 Side B)

Jimmy Jones - piano, director, arranger

William "Cat" Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herb Jones, Cootie Williams - trumpet

Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper - trombone

Chuck Connors - bass trombone

Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone

Russell Procope - alto saxophone, clarinet

Paul Gonsalves - tenor saxophone

Harry Carney - baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet

Jimmy Hamilton - clarinet, tenor saxophone

Joe Comfort - double bass

Gus Johnson - drums

Jimmy Jones Trio (Tracks 3-5 Side B)

Jimmy Jones - piano

Joe Comfort - double bass

Gus Johnson - drums

Joined by: 

Cootie Williams - trumpet

Jimmy Hamilton - clarinet

Recorded at Falkoner Theatre, Copenhagen, 6th February 1966

Originally organised by Per Møller Hansen and Børge Roger Henrichsen for Danmarks Radio.

Mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Productions

Front cover photograph (c) Jan Persson/CTSIMAGES

© 2026 Gearbox Records

℗ 2026 Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation

Transcript from the introduction on the radio broadcast:

Danish:

Her har vi i aften og næste mandag aften på samme tid jazzkoncertoptagelser tilrettelagt af Per Møller Hansen og Børge Roger Henrichsen. 

Sidstnævnte er ved mikrofonen.

Sidste søndag besøgte et par jazzberømtheder København: kapelmesterkomponist Duke Ellington og sangerinde Ella Fitzgerald. Man kunne høre dem ved to koncerter i Falkoner-Centret, men ikke så meget sammen, som man havde ventet efter forhåndstalen. 

Ganske vist spillede blæserne fra Ellington Orkestret til mange numre af Ellas afdeling. Men rytmen bestod af Jimmy Jones' trio, alias Jimmy Jones, den følsomme akkompagnementpianist, Joe Comfort på bas og Gus Johnson på trommer. Det var Jimmy Jones, der stod for direktionen og også havde arrangeret en del af sangnumrene. 

Under disse omstændigheder mistede orkestret forbløffende det særpræg, det stadig har under Duke Ellingtons hænder. Men det leverede dog et ret præcist og øjensynligt inspirerende lederspil til Ella Fitzgerald. Hun synes netop mere levende og mindre mekaniseret end ved de senere års koncerter i København med trio. 

Da koncertens nyhed netop var Ella Fitzgerald med større besætning, vil vi denne mandag aften koncentrere os om hendes afdeling og vente med Ellingtons egen indsats med klaver og orkester til næste mandag aften samme tid, hvor Per Møller Hansen vil præsentere programmet. 

Nu skal vi altså høre Ella Fitzgerald synge. Det store orkester og snart trioen, og de første numre er Duke Ellington’s "Satin Doll", "Hey Little Girl" af Blackwell, Billy Strayhorn’s "Something to Live For", Cole Porter’s berømte "Let's Do It", Pinkard’s "Sweet Georgia Brown", "How High the Moon" af Lewis, og Ramirez' “Lover Man". Men altså først Ella i "Satin Doll". 

Sidst hørte de Ella Fitzgerald i slagnummeret "How High the Moon", fuld af skatsang og citater fra andre melodier. Og så den romantiske "Lover Man". Fra hendes afdeling ved den tidlige søndagskoncert i Falkoner Centret kan vi endnu bringe "So Dance Samba", Antonio Carlos Jobim’s bossanova-prægede melodi, "Just a Lucky So and So", og endelig "Mack the Knife” - Det er Kurt Weill’s verdenskendte melodi, der egentlig hedder "Moritat" og handler om Mackie Messer fra "Dreigroschen Oper". Men nu bossanovaen.

English:

“Here this evening, and next Monday evening at the same time, we have jazz concert recordings arranged by Per Møller Hansen and Børge Roger Henrichsen.

The latter is at the microphone.”

…

Børge Roger Henrichsen:

“Last Sunday, a couple of jazz celebrities visited Copenhagen: bandleader and composer Duke Ellington and singer Ella Fitzgerald. They could be heard at two concerts at Falkoner Theatre, though not as much together as had been expected from the advance publicity.

It is true that the horn players from the Ellington Orchestra performed on many numbers in Ella’s set. However, the rhythm section consisted of Jimmy Jones’ trio - that is, Jimmy Jones himself, the sensitive accompanying pianist, Joe Comfort on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums. Jimmy Jones was in charge of the direction and had also arranged several of the vocal numbers.

Under these circumstances, the orchestra surprisingly lost some of the distinctive character it still has under Duke Ellington’s direction. Nevertheless, it provided quite precise and seemingly inspired accompaniment for Ella Fitzgerald. She, in turn, appeared more lively and less mechanical than at her concerts in Copenhagen in recent years with just a trio.

Since the novelty of the concert was precisely Ella Fitzgerald performing with a larger ensemble, we will focus this Monday evening on her set, and postpone Ellington’s own contribution with piano and orchestra until next Monday evening at the same time, when Per Møller Hansen will present the program.

So now we will hear Ella Fitzgerald sing - first with the large orchestra and later with the trio. The opening numbers are Duke Ellington’s ‘Satin Doll’, ‘Hey Little Girl’ by Blackwell, Billy Strayhorn’s ‘Something to Live For’, Cole Porter’s famous ‘Let’s Do It’, Pinkard’s, ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘How High the Moon’ by Lewis, and Ramirez’s ‘Lover Man’. But first, Ella in ‘Satin Doll’.”

…

“Earlier, you heard Ella Fitzgerald in the hit number ‘How High the Moon’, full of scat singing and quotations from other melodies, followed by the romantic ‘Lover Man’. From her set at the early Sunday concert at Falkoner Theatre we can also bring you ‘So Danço Samba’, the bossa nova–influenced melody by Antonio Carlos Jobim, ‘Just a Lucky So-and-So', and finally 'Mack the Knife’ -  Kurt Weill’s world-famous melody, originally titled ‘Moritat’, about Mackie Messer from ‘The Threepenny Opera’. But now, the bossa nova.”