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.