Cleo's Blues – Paul Gonsalves

The audio clip gives you a flavor of the even 8th intro then fades into the melody. The entire introduction and the similar coda are both notated in all lead sheet editions. The melody is a blues, but it's quite unusual; a different way to approach the blues.

"Cleopatra Feelin' Jazzy" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.


Paul Gonsalves, one of the mainstays of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, would try to fit in as many of his own dates as he could, squeezing them in around the Ellington schedule. Here's his 1963 recording itinerary surrounding this date:

January 3 : Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (Reprise) New York
January 5 : Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (Reprise) New York
January 22: Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (Granada TV) London, England
January 31: Duke Ellington And His Orchestra With The Paris Symphony Orchestra Recording session, Salle Wagram, Paris
February 21: Duke Ellington Group With La Scala Symphony Orchestra
February 23: The Great Paris Concert : Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
February 27: Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick: Paul Gonsalves
April 17: Duke Ellington And His Small Band
May 21: Cleopatra Feelin' Jazzy: Paul Gonsalves
June 8: Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
July 6: Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
August 12: Duke Ellington Billy Strayhorn (p) replaces Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway (m.c.)
August 26: Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
September 4: Tell It The Way It Is: Paul Gonsalves
September 5: Salt & Pepper : Sonny Stitt/Paul Gonsalves