In1970DukeEllingtonplayedacompanygigforthe75thanniversaryofthesockandstockingfactoryFalkeinSchmallenberg,asmalltown(population:25,000)intheSauerlandregionof(thenWest)Germany,halfwaybetweenKasselandCologne.Atonepointwewereaskedabouttheconcertandbecamecuriousaboutwhyandhowithappenedinthefirstplace.WewrotetoFranzOttoFalke,togetherwithhisbrotherPauloneofthecoownersofthefactorysince1951,andaskedforthedetails.Ittookacoupleofweeks,thenwereceivedanenvelopecontainingareportbytheFalkeemployeeKlausFengerwhoin1970wasworkingforFalkeinadvertising,hadbeenassignedthetaskoffindinganappropriatejazzensemblefortheeventandwhonowsharedhisverypersonalmemoriesofhowitallcameabout.WecontactedKlausFengerinZambia,Africawherehelivestoday,organizingbushsafaris,toaskhimforpermissiontotranslateandsharehismemoriesofthatspecialeventinhisearliercareer,andhegladlyagreed.FranzOttoFalkeprovidedacopyoftheprogramaswellassomephotosfromtheconcertanddinnerafterwards.Here,then,isthestorybehindDukeEllington'sconcertatSchmallenberg'smunicipalauditoriumon10July1970.(JazzinstitutDarmstadt,23December2016,www.jazzinstitut.de)

KlausFenger(Zambia)DukeEllingtoninSchmallenbergontheoccasionofthe75thanniversaryoftheFranzFalkeRohencompanyOnemorning,earlyin1970,Mr.FranzOttoFalkecalledontheadvertisingdepartmenttoletthestaffknowofthemanagement'splanstocelebratethecompany'sanniversary.HeassuredthemthatthistimetheeventdidnothavetobeasbigasthepreviousdoubleanniversaryofthetwosubsidiaryfirmsFalkeStrickwaren(laterFalkeStrickknitwear)andMeisenburg(spterFalkeGarneyarns)atwhichKurtEdelhagen'sbigbandandIanCarter'sWuppertalballetcompanyhadthrilledtheaudience.Thistime,then,themanagementthoughtofasmaller,nonethelessworldrenownedensemble,somethingliketheOscarPetersonTrioortheDaveBrubeckQuartet,tocelebratedtheanniversaryoftheFalkeGroup'sparentcompanyFranzFalkeRohen(laterFalkeStrmpfesocks).Theemployeewhowasaskedto"secure"oneofthetwobandswasknowntobeajazzfanandanexpertofthescene,bothinEuropeandinAmerica.Thisemployee,then,calledsomeofthemajorconcertagentsonlytorealizethathewouldprobablyhavelittleluckinbookingbandslikeOscarPetersonorDaveBrubeckforoneconcertaloneinGermany.Theconcertagents'responseswereprettymuchidenticalandallinthenegative.BothPetersonandBrubeckhadbeentouringEurope,includingGermany,earlierthatspring.TheyhadmeanwhilereturnedtoAmerica.TobookthemorasimilaractforjustasingleconcertinGermanywouldhavebeenmuchtooexpensive.Thus,the"advertisementguy"briefedMr.Falkeaboutthestateofaffairs,whoneverthelessdecided,let'scontinuetrying.

Whilethe"lightlysaddened"employeeponderedwhoelsemightbeagoodchoiceperhapstheModernJazzQuartetwithMiltJacksonatthevibraphoneorJacquesLoussierwhohadstartedaseriescalled"PlayBach"inwhichheperformedclassicalmusicinjazzinterpretationshereceivedacallfromasmalleragentwhotoldhimthathecouldofferhimaveryspecialact,DukeEllingtonandhisOrchestra,whichwascelebratedasoneofthebestjazzbandsworldwideandwhosebandleaderwasknownasoneofthebestpianistsallovertheworld.Theemployeewasoverjoyed,andsowasMr.Falkeeventhoughhecouldn'tquitebelievethegoodnews.Heaskedforacoupleofdaysforconsiderationtoreachafinaldecision.Finally,therewasameetinginMr.Falke'shome,attendedbysomegentlemenfromthemanagementaswellasMr.G,afriendofMr.FalkewhohadmadeanimpactonthesocalledFalkestyleandhadorganizedandcommentedthecompany'sfashionshowsinaninimitableway.WhilereasonsforandagainstEllingtonwereexchanged,Mr.G.madethecrucialremark:HeregardedMr.F.(theguyfromtheadvertisementdepartment)tobeoneofthebiggestfraudsinthecompany,andhewouldnotbelievethiswholeEllingtonbusinessunlesshesawtheDukehimselfonstageinSchmallenberg!Thatsaid,suddenlyeverybodypresentagreedtohirethe"Duke"withhisorchestraandnottocelebrateonthesmallscaleoriginallyplanned.Abigorchestra,though,neededabiggerauditorium.Theemployeefromtheadvertisingdepartmenthadalotofworkaheadofhim.

Firstcamethecontract,withstrictAmericanregulations:nofilming,norecordings,hirethebiggestHammondorganavailableinGermany,perfecttuningofpianoandorganandsoonandsoforth.Where,though,doesonegetthebiggestHammondorgan?AttheGermanHammondrepresentationinHamburgtheadvertisementguyreachedthemanagerwho,whenaskedforthecostanddetailsofdelivery,askedbackwhowouldbeplayingtheinstrument?Whenheheardtheanswer,WildBillDavis(again,thebestplayeronhisinstrumentworldwide),themanagerreplied,"Thenwewon'tchargeyoufortheinstrument",thecompanywouldjusthavetopaythemuchcheaperfreightcosts.Thenextquestionwas,howmanypeopletoinvite?Answer:about500professionalsfromthetextileindustryandthefashionpress,aswellasfriendsandrelatives.Whattodo,then,sothattheguestswon'tfeellostinSchmallenberg'sgiganticmunicipalauditoriumwhichholdsupto2.400people?TheanswercamefromanarchitectwhohadbeeninvolvedindevelopingtheFalkeShopSystemandwhodesignedgiganticcoloredfabricpanelshangingfromthehall'sceilingwhichgavetheroomamorerelaxedatmosphereandmadeitseemmuchmoreintimate.Inafurtherstep,invitationswereprintedandmailed,hotelroomsreservedandthreebuffetsorderedfromleadinghotelsandrestaurantsinandaroundSchmallenberg.Themostimportantpreparation,though,wasreservedfortheperformanceoftheEllingtonOrchestra.Inallofthismanyhelpfulpeoplewithexperienceinorganizingcompanycelebrationswereofassistance.

Thepreparationswentaheadsmoothly.OnedayMr.Falkecametotheadvertisingdepartmentandaskedtheemployeeinchargeoftheanniversarytogoandattendoneofthe"Duke"'sconcertsduringhisEuropeantour.HeshouldtrytotalktoMr.Ellingtoninpersonandlethimknowthathisboss,Mr.Falke,wasabigadmirerofhismusicandpianostyle.Theemployeewashappytocomply,butinsteadofattendingaconcertbytheEllingtonbandinoneofthebigcitieshedecidedtohearitinLuxembourg.Thus,theFalke"emissary"traveledtoLuxembourgwherehelearnedthatEllingtondidnotperforminthecapitalbutinasmalltownabout30kmoutsideofthecenter,insomecastleruinswhichwereusedforconcertsandknownfortheirsplendidopenairacoustics.InthelateafternoontheFalkeemployeetookthepackedcommutertraintothesmalltownwheretheconcertwastotakeplace.Ateverystopheaskedhisfellowtravelerswhetheritwastimetogetoffalready.Finally,ayounggirltookpityonhimandtoldhim,"WheneverIgetoff,youhavetogetoff,too."Whentheyarrivedinthesmalltown,thegirl(todayonewouldcallhera"youngwoman")gavehimthedirectionstothecastleruins.Shealsolethimknowthatshelivednearbyand,ifheliked,whynotsharethewalktothecastle?Theyoungmanwasverypleased.Andwhiletheywalked,theFalkeguyhadtheideatoinvitetheyoungwomantotheconcert.Whichlefttheyoungwomanverypleased.Sheevenlethimknowthatshehadkindofcountedonit.

Onthestageintheinneryardofthecastlethemusicianssetuptheirinstruments.TheFalkeguyfoundtheband'sroadmanager,WillyLeiser,whomheinformedofhiswishtospeaktothe"Duke"abouttheconcertinSchmallenberg.MercerEllingtonintervened,theDuke'ssonwhoplayedthetrumpetintheorchestra,andcommenteditmightmakemoresensetotalktohisfatheraftertheevent.Shortlybeforetheconcertstarted,theyoungwomanarrived.Andthenthemusicplayed.Itwasafantasticeveninginallofitslength.The"Duke"playedmanyofhisoldstandards,butinnewarrangements.ProbablymanyintheaudienceinLuxembourghadneverheardEllington'smusicwiththisnewsound.Inanyway,theaudiencewasecstatic,andaskedforanumberofencores.ThemanfromSchmallenberghadaproblemaftertheconcert:HeneededtotalktoEllington,buthealsoknewthattherewasnomoretrainbacktoLuxembourg.Theconcertpromotershadorganizedanumberofbusses,instead.Asifoncue,theyoungwomanhelpedwhenheaskedhertokeepthebusdriverwaitinguntilhewasdonetalkingtothe"Duke".ThenhewentbehindthestagewithWillyLeiserandMercerEllingtonwherehemetarelaxedEllingtonwholistenedcalmlywhenhetoldhimabouthisboss'srequest.Ellingtonsmiledandreplied,hewouldprobablyplayasimilarconcertasinLuxembourg,andhewouldmakesuretoplayenoughpiano(winkingathisguest).ThemanfromtheSauerlandregionthankedeverybody,saidhisGoodbyeandhurriedtothesinglebusstillwaitingonthesquareinfrontofthecastle.Theyoungwomanflirtedwiththedriver,onefootonthebus,theotherontheground."Therehecomes",shecalledouttothedriver.The

peopleonthebussmiled.TheFalkeemployeefelthappy,travelingbacktoLuxembourgcity.Laterhesenthischarminghostessapairofstockings.BackinSchmallenberg"everythingwentaccordingtoplan".Thehallwaspolishedup,theinvitedguestsconfirmedtheirparticipationsomeofthemwereevenwillingtocomebackfromtheirvacationelsewhereinEuropefortheevent.ThentheHammondorganarrivedfromHamburg,aswellasthepianotunerfromHagenwhowasknownfortuningboththehonkytonkpianosinthesmokybarsoftheSauerlandregionandthepremiuminstrumentsinschoolsandelsewhere.

Andthen,thebigdayarrived10thofJuly1970whichthosepresentatthisEllingtonconcertcontinuetospeakof.Mr.Falkehadofferedtogivethe"Duke"aliftinthecompanyownedhelicopterfromtheDsseldorfairportwherethebandhadarrivedinthemorningfromScandinavia.Mr.Ellingtondeclinedwiththanks,sayinghewouldrathertakeacar.Thus,Falkesentacar.Therestofthebandtookabuswhichhadatrailercarryingtheinstruments.Around3pmthe"Duke"arrivedinfrontofthehallinSchmallenberg.Mr.Falkehadaskedtohavehimbroughttohishomewherehe,hiswife,hisbrotherandhiswifeaswellasMr.G.andhiswifewantedtomeethimforcoffee.Mr.Ellingtondeclinedwiththanks,explainingthathewouldratherstaywithhisorchestrawhichhadnotyetarrived.The"Duke"'sbodyguarddroppedthehintthatMr.Ellingtonmightwanttosleepforanhour,bestsomewherebehindthestage.Woulditbepossibletoorganizeacouch?Acouchwasbroughtfromthelivingroomofthehall'smanager.The"Duke"washappytobeabletorelaxsomemore.Afterall,thetourthroughabout20citiesinEuropewasstrenuous.Mr.F.,themanfromtheadvertisingdepartment,conveyedthe"Duke"'srequesttoMr.FalkewhosympathizedwithEllington'swish.InordertoeasetheapproachofthebusfromDsseldorftothehall,theadvertisementguystoodclosetothetown'sentrance.Thelaststretchofthewaythebushadtogoatwalkingspeedasafarmerwasherdinghiscowsbacktothestablesthroughthesmalltown.Themusicianswerethrilledbythesight.Afterarrival,themusicianssetuptheirinstrumentswiththehelpoftwobandboysandaskedforthebar.Theywereexcitedwhentheyheardthatforthemalldrinkswere

free.Around6:30pmthefirstguestsarrived.Theatmospherewasrelaxedfromthestart.Themottofortheanniversarypartywas"Summ