Gearbox Records, in conjunction with the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, has announced the global release of a rare, previously unreleased live album from the legendary jazz icon. titled Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen 6th February 1966, the archival recording will officially be released on July 24, 2026, available across vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
The long-lost tape was originally captured as a mono Danmarks Radio broadcast by producers Per Møller Hansen and Børge Roger Henrichsen. It spent decades sitting in a private archive, narrowly escaping destruction before being rescued and restored by the London-based analogue specialists. The historic concert captures a singular, incredibly spontaneous chapter in the 13-time Grammy Award winner's career, recorded just one night before she taped her seminal The Stockholm Concert, 1966 live album.
On this particular Sunday evening, Fitzgerald was backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, though Ellington himself was absent. Instead, Jimmy Jones took the piano bench, serving as musical director alongside bassist Joe Comfort and drummer Gus Johnson. In the album's liner notes, jazz historian Syd Schwartz emphasizes that the large ensemble, even without Duke at the keys, sparked something special in the singer. Schwartz writes that Henrichsen, a keen observer of her career, noted she "appeared more lively and less mechanical than at her concerts in Copenhagen in recent years with just a trio."
The recording also reflects the unique comfort Fitzgerald found in Denmark, where she owned an apartment. Schwartz notes that for many Black American jazz musicians of the era, the country felt like home, offering "a degree of respect the United States too often denied them." To celebrate the album's announcement, Gearbox has shared a preview track of Fitzgerald's signature standard "How High The Moon," showcasing her effortless scat style and improvisational range.
The 10-song tracklist also features timeless interpretations of "Satin Doll," "Sweet Georgia Brown," and "Mack The Knife." Mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones, Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen 6th February 1966 is currently available for physical pre-order.
