The core of this chapter is the general acceptance that Ellington's appearance at Newport in 1956 somehow 'relaunched' the Ellington band. With contributions from those who were there, Shipton re-explores both the Newport myth and re-examines the early 1950s output of the band. He looks at its Carnegie Hall concerts, discusses the line up when Willie Smith, Juan Tizol and Louis Bellson joined from Harry James, and gives detailed examples of the music the band produced in its alleged 'shallow' period, prompting a re-examination of the clains made for the Newport appearance by producer George Avakian.

Charlie Parker is the focus of this account of Dizzy Gillespie's band in California in 1945-6. Shipton talks to survivors of the sextet – Milt Jackson, Sten Levey and Ray Brown, as well as those who heard the band there such as Clora Bryant, Teddy Edwards and Roy Porter. He traces the development of bebop back to New York, discussing this music with pianist Sir Charles Thompson, a lifelong friend of Buck Clayton who brought Buck, Parker and Dexter Gordon together for a record in 1945. Bassist Jimmy Woode recalls working with Parker in Boston, and Teddy Edwards brings the Los Angeles scene to life.