Conference, Birmingham: Review

A highlight of 2018 was The 25th International Duke Ellington Study Group Conference, Birmingham 2018, hosted by Birmingham City University and The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. I received recently via their newsletter, this review from Lee Farley of The Duke Ellington Society, Southern California chapter.Lee graciously gave me permission to share his review here...

When I arrived at the 25th International Duke Ellington Study Group Conference in Birmingham, England, I had no idea that my wife and I would be two of very few representatives from the United States and the only ones from southern California. That was too bad for those who couldn’t make it, because the event was an outstanding gathering, full of information and great music and characterized by an informal and collegial atmosphere that belied the academic setting. Some of the most memorable parts of the conference were the three concerts, comprised of five sets, played by the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Ellington Orchestra, a student ensemble directed by Jeremy Price, Head of Jazz Studies at the Conservatoire and a co-organizer of the event.

The students played Ellington’s and Strayhorn’s compositions and arrangements with tremendous skill and enthusiasm, with polished ensembles that reflected hours ofrehearsals. And the repertoire wasn’t confined to Ellington’s greatest hits, but ratherincluded obscure and well-known pieces from all eras of the orchestra. I particularly enjoyed hearing Old King Dooji, a fine up-tempo and texturally interesting piece from 1938 that Ellington, for whatever reason, hardly ever played after its initial recording.

The two evening performances covered between them a wide range of compositions.The Friday concert’s first set was devoted to early Ellington (The 1920s, 30s, and veryearly 40s.) We heard Jack the Bear, Ko-Ko, and Black and Tan Fantasy among many others. The second set comprised selections from a list of about 40 compositions as chosen byaudience members. Saturday’s concert included a set with compositions from both DukeEllington’s 195 repertoire and The Far East

Suite. Thus, we heard, among others, Flirtibird, Dual Fuel, Tourist Point of View and Blue Bird of Delhi.

These are not the typical titles of repertory jazz orchestras and reflect how deeply these students are immersed in Ellingtonia. The Sunday afternoon performance included audience choices as well. And somewhere during the very tight scheduling of the conference was a jam session, where attendees could play Ellington/Strayhorn compositions with the students. All the concerts were held in the Eastside Jazz Club, an acoustically well-designed performing venue that is

part of the fabulous new building housing the Conservatoire. The audience of Ellington fans rightly gave standing ovations to the students for their skillful performances and to Jeremy Price for his leadership in creating and directing the orchestra.

I was so enthralled by the music that I forgot to take pictures. I did manage to get one of the student orchestra outside the Conservatoire building. Jeremy Price is on the far left.

Lee Farley