Eastbourne Performance is a live album by the American pianist, composer and band leader
Duke Ellington, featuring his concerts at the
Congress Theatre in
Eastbourne, England, in December 1973. It was released on the
RCA label in 1975. It is his last concert to have been commercially released.[1]
Reception
The
AllMusic review by
Scott Yanow states: "The Ellington Orchestra was a bit weaker than it had been (many of the veterans had either died or retired) but it was still a mighty outfit... Actually the most impressive soloist on the album ... is Ellington himself... A fitting ending to a truly remarkable career".[2] The compilers of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings commented: "The Eastbourne set is not quite as bad as its reputation. There are dreadful moments for Moore and Watkins, and some of the features seem redundant... But a final 'Creole Love Call' retains its elegance, and Ellington himself ... sounds very good on 'Pitter, Panther, Patter' – his very last officially recorded feature."[3]