New Orleans Suite is a studio album by the American pianist, composer, and bandleaderDuke Ellington, recorded and released on theAtlantic label in 1970.[1] The album contains the final recordings of longtime Ellington saxophonistJohnny Hodges, who died between the album's two recording sessions.[2] The album won a Grammy Award in 1971 forBest Jazz Performance by a Big Band.[3]
Dan Morgenstern's glowing review of the album in 1971 forDownBeat awarded it five stars. "The music is evocative, highly atmospheric and marked throughout by the gorgeous ensemble textures that set this orchestra apart from every other big band in the history of jazz", he wrote. "This is a great record, and by any standard one of the major musical events of 1971." Morgenstern had praise for several of the soloists, especially Johnny Hodges (in his swan song), Paul Gonsalves' "profoundly emotional" tribute to both Sidney Bechet and Hodges, Cootie Williams, Norris Turney, and Harold Ashby.[4]
In his review forSounds, Jack Hutton remarked that "aCreole influence permeates the work, a lazy Delta feel laden with nostalgic sadness which is a probably a truer reflection of the historic city than the good-timetrad which has helped to popularise it." He praised the solos ofNorris Turney, criticized those ofCootie Williams, and concluded that "This suite, while it doesn't rank with Ellington's greatest works, proves that the piano player is still vitally creative well into his seventies."[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz included the album as part of its suggested "Core Collection," and awarded it the guide's maximum rating of four stars.[5]
