Duke Ellington – piano, composer; Shorty Baker – trumpet; Cat Anderson – trumpet; Clark Terry – trumpet; Andrew “Fats” Ford – trumpet; Ray Nance – trumpet, vocal; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Russell Procope – alto sax, tin whistle (track 27); Paul Gonsalves – tenor sax; Jimmy Hamilton – tenor sax, clarinet; Harry Carney – baritone sax; John Sanders – trombone; Britt Woodman – trombone; Quentin Jackson – trombone; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums; Jimmy Johnson – drums; Special Guests:; Ozzie Bailey – vocals (track 8); Lil Greenwood – vocals (tracks 13 – 18); Jimmy Rushing – vocals (tracks 23 – 25)