Iconic Images presents a one of a kind, vintage print from the Ted Williams archive.
It was an unusual party even for Chicago in those party-time days. It was the Christmas season and a lot of musicians were in town for holiday gigs, including the Ellington Band. It was an off night for the clubs, so people started arriving early – by 9:30 “The Brute” (Ben Webster) and Red Holloway were warming up their horns. Billy Strayhorn was noodling on the piano and two drummers were setting up in the rec room and Jimmy Rushing was caressing his vocal cords with a bit of eggnog. “The boss said he would be by later,” Jimmy Hamilton whispered to me – later being the key word. Duke showed around midnight, and very soon thereafter was at the piano where he’d remain for most of the remainder of the party.
- Ted Williams