In the following 15-minute resurfaced video (published on the Richard Nixon Foundation YouTube channel) the legendary Duke Ellington can be seen celebrating his 70th birthday, back in 1969, with some great jazz chaps, like Bill Berry, Clark Terry, J.J. Johnson, Urbie Green, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Hall, Billy Taylor, Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines, Milt Hinton, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams, Mary Mayo and Dizzy Gillespie. President Nixon could not have missed that opportunity; he literally grabs the piano himself to play the Happy Birthday tune to the Legend. Do not expect miracles, of course!
One of the most special moments is the improvisation of a new piece, ‘Pat’, inspired by the President’s wife, Pat Nixon. Jazz lovers, it’s time to sit back and enjoy for the rest 15 and a half minutes. All you have to do is press the play button, and enter Duke’s majestic world.
Christos Doukakis