Isfahan is an instrumental jazz composition by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, with no lyrics. Strayhorn first called the piece "Elf". He wrote it before the orchestra's 1963 world tour, during which the group travelled to Iran, and it was first released in 1967 on The Far East Suite, a concept album inspired by the group's tour of Asia. The original recording by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra was made in December 1966 and issued in 1967 on Bluebird/RCA, produced by Brad McKuen, with a running time of 4:02 (an alternative take runs 4:11). Johnny Hodges takes the alto saxophone solo. The personnel includes Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Paul Gonsalves and Harry Carney, with Ellington on piano.
The Penguin Guide to Jazz, by Richard Cook and Brian Morton, called it arguably the most beautiful item in Ellington's and Strayhorn's output. Later versions include those by Gary Burton, Arnett Cobb, Joe Pass, Art Farmer, Joe Henderson, André Previn, Grace Kelly, and Joe Jackson with Steve Vai.
