･ LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS
･ NEWLY REMASTERED
･ OUTSTANDING NEW COVERS
･ DIRECT METAL MASTERING
･ 180g LP - AUDIOPHILE PRESSING
Despite the much spoken rivalry between them Duke Ellington and Count Basie were close friends and great admirers of each other’s work. Their bands had different styles both clearly recognizable. The musicians who played in each band and their individual sound were half of the success of both bands which over the years included such outstanding players as Ben Webster Lester Young Harry “Sweets” Edison Jimmy Blanton Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Johnny Hodges Jimmy Rushing Jo Jones Thad Jones and Harry Carney to name just a few. And they were primarily loyal to their leaders. Although they had known each other since their youth and on many occasions were featured on the same bill the Duke and the Count never crossed paths in a recording studio before the 1961 session included here. While their bands performed separately on the same stage many times following the 1961 session they would never record together again.

The Duke Ellington Orchestra (heard on the right channel): Cat Anderson Willie Cook Ed Mullens Fats Ford (tp) Ray Nance (tp vln) Juan Tizol Lawrence Brown Louis Blackburn (tb) Jimmy Hamilton (cl) Johnny Hodges Russell Procope (as) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar) Duke Ellington Billy Strayhorn (p) Aaron Bell (b) Sam Woodyard (d).
The Count Basie Orchestra (heard on the left channel): Thad Jones Sonny Cohn Snooky Young Lonnie Johnson (tp) Henry Coker Quentin Jackson Benny Powell (tb) Marshall Royal (cl as) Frank Wess (as ts fl) Frank Foster Budd Johnson (ts) Charlie Fowlkes (bar) Count Basie (p) Freddie Green (g) Eddie Jones (b) Sonny Payne (d).
New York July 6 & 7 1961.
Original sessions produced by Teo Macero.

Side A:
1. BATTLE ROYAL (Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn)
2. TO YOU (Thad Jones)
3. TAKE THE “A” TRAIN (Billy Strayhorn)
4. CORNER POCKET [aka UNTIL I MET YOU] (Freddie Green-Don Wolf)
5. BLUES IN HOSS’ FLAT [BLUES IN FRANKIE’S FLAT] (Frank Foster-Count Basie) *
Side B:
1. WILD MAN [aka WILD MAN MOORE] (Duke Ellington)
2. SEGUE IN C (Frank Wess)
3. B D B (Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn)
4. JUMPIN’ AT THE WOODSIDE (Count Basie)
5. ONE MORE ONCE (Duke Ellington) *
*BONUS TRACKS: From the same sessions but not included on the original LP.