The 1961 film Paris Blues, starring Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier, tells the story of two expatriate American jazz musicians who are living in 1960s Paris. Dedicated to their artistry, the two are confronted with difficult choices when they meet and fall in love with two American female tourists.
The film’s score, written by Duke Ellington, features performances by Ellington’s Orchestra, with Louis Armstrong appearing on two tracks. At the 34th Academy Awards, Ellington was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture. A fellow nominee the same year was Dmitri Shostakovich, with a 1959 Soviet film adaptation of Mussorgsky’s opera, Khovanshchina. Perhaps not unexpectedly, both nominations lost to creators of the film, West Side Story.
Here is the main theme from Ellington’s score for Paris Blues:
Recordings
- Ellington: Paris Blues (Original Soundtrack) Amazon
Featured Image: a scene from the 1961 film, “Paris Blues”
Wonderful stuff!!! The scene with Armstrong in this film is thrilling. And You can see Joseph Reinhardt-Django’s brother – in the crowd in a cloth hat!!! What an incredible Oscar lineup in 1961!! Thanks!!!
Thanks for this music! What a pleasure!! So mellow and beautiful. While listening I was reminded of a chance encounter I had years ago with Ellington’s stunning white piano, which was on display in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. It was a powerful presence. Grand and elegant and classy, just like the man himself.
Gil Evans was Miles Ahead in his horn arrangements.