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unBoxing Day

Live: December 2022

11 December, 2022 (19:30GMT)

On the Trail of Duke Ellington

Harmony In Harlem 

St. John's Arts and Recreation Centre, St. John's Walk, Market Street, Harlow, Essex CM17 OAJ

With a further foray into our authentic repertoire of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Harmony In Harlem return to St John's ARC, Old Harlow, for a Sunday evening concert of vibrant, exotic, foot-tapping jazz and swing in memory of the late John Graham, notable Harlow architect and sponsor of the orchestra.

Details here.

30 December 2022 (19:30 PST)

A Concert of Duke Ellington's Sacred Music

Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra

Town Hall, Seattle

What a great gift for your out-of-town guests!

Give the gift of jazz and support TWO venerable organizations in Seattle dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of this uniquely American art form - the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and Earshot Jazz who have partnered on this annually anticipated event for decades.

You can buy tickets here.

AND THEN you can print out this invitation and present it to any recipient of this really thoughtful gift.

We recommend getting tickets now, we do expect this to sell out quickly!

Ellington’s wonderful “Sacred Music” is both serious and swinging. It is a reverent and hip body of jazz composition, written late in his career, for jazz big band, vocal and instrumental soloists, and tap dancers.

For the past 30+ years Earshot Jazz and Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra have partnered to present an annual concert of Ellington’s Sacred Music. The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, led by Artistic Director Michael Brockman (who co-founded SRJO alongside Clarence Acox Jr.), features the 17-piece big band with trumpeters Jay Thomas, Nathan Breedlove, Michael Van Bebber, and Brad Allison; trombonists Dan Marcus, Scott Brown, Jerome Smith, Bill Anthony, and David Bentley. Rhythm includes Randy Halbertstadt, D’Vonne Lewis, Milo Peterson, and Phil Sparks. This year’s vocal solos will feature Robert Neal and Nichol Eskridge. Tap this out—the iconic “David Danced” will be performed by Alex Dugdale in his tap-dancing form.

The vocal ensemble parts will be performed by the traditional Northwest Chamber Chorus, and in a new twist, SRJO adds to the bill a gospel choir, The Sound of the Northwest, directed by Vanessa Bruce. SRJO, the guest soloists, and the two vocal groups will join forces to honor vocal artistry and the universality of Ellington’s message. 

*COVID-19 Policy: While Earshot Jazz no longer requires proof of vaccination at any venue where an Earshot Jazz event is being produced (unless that venue requires proof of vaccination), Earshot recommends that individuals be vaccinated. Masks encouraged. Full policy here. Policy subject to change.

Photo of Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra courtesy of SRJO

Redhead Rex Stewart

Another seasonal treat... the rare stereo edition of Rex Stewart's take on the Broadway show Redhead...

Rex Stewart Quintet Redhead 1959 FULL STEREO ALBUM Bucky Pizzarelli

Music composed by Albert Hague. Rex Stewart (t) / Mousey Alexander (d) / Leonard Gaskin (b) / Bucky Pizzarelli (g) / John Bunch (p) / Joe Venuto (marimba)

From the back cover (spoiler below for you who haven't seen the play from which this music comes): ["February, 1959 was a good month. Especially for a group of charming and talented people who stayed awake all night to read '... a walloping hit.' (Robert Coleman, Mirror) '... best musical comedy of the season.' (Richard Watts, Post) '... firecracker of a musical...' (Walter Kerr, Herald Tribune) '... an excellent plot... good songs, a smartly handsome production... tip-top musical.' (John Chapman, Daily News). This can go on for pages. The theatre, the 46th Street Theatre, New York City. The show, Redhead, starring the magnificent Gwen Verdon and co-starring Richard Kiley. The story is a great comedy with a wonderful mystery or rather a great mystery mixed with a wonderful comedy. It's actually a murder mystery, a romance, a comedy all put together into a musical triumph. Essie Whimple (played by Gwen Verdon) is a rather wistful young lady, very plain who makes wax figures in a London museum. This wax works belongs to her two aunts, the Simpson sisters. Now Essie has a tendency of seeing into the future. Her best vision is about her prince charming, a well set individual, strong, handsome. Richard Kiley comes to life as that man. While she has these visions she also happens to have one of the strangler who is terrifying London at the time. She creates an exhibit of this fiend who has murdered a dancing girl appearing at the Odeon Theatre. Well, everything works out beautifully... she traps the killer and gets her man. The winner... why the audience, of course. Rex Stewart comes into his own on this album. He and his gang just sat right down and played for the fun of it all. Good music is fun and you'll feel a beat going through your toes. The artistry of Rex Stewart comes out for a wonderful sound. Rex has come a long way since he blew trumpet with Duke Ellington. For another enjoyable session with Rex Stewart, we recommend Design DCF-1010 -- The Golden Era of Dixieland Jazz -- Vol. II. A must for any collection."] The propaganda gets even deeper: ["'...A REVOLUTION IN RECORDING...' DANTON WALKER The enclosed DESIGN 'TWO WAY' STEREO long playing record, *for the first time*, gives a new, amazing, 'in depth' reproduction on any monophonic (Hi-Fi) record player. Stereophonically, it reproduces the ultimate in two-channel separation and sound on any stereo machine. You are now able to purchase, *for the first time*, one record that can be used on ANY TYPE OF PHONOGRAPH. With these DESIGN COMPATIBLE FIDELITY STEREOPHONIC records your music library will never become obsolete! Listen -- be amazed! -------------------------------------------- This DESIGN COMPATIBLE STEREO record has been mastered on a Neuman Lathe using the Fairchild #641 Uni-Groove cutting head giving less than ½% distortion at 14 cm between 1,000 to 15,000 cycles. RIAA curve flat from 30 to 15,000 cycles. -------------------------------------------- NOTE TO AUDIOPHILES We will be pleased to send you a technical brochure explaining DESIGN COMPATIBLE FIDELITY. Send a stamped, self addressed envelope to PICKWICK SALES CORP., Pickwick Bldgl, Long Island City 1, N.Y. -------------------------------------------- PRINTED IN USA A PRODUCT OF PICKWICK SALES CORP., LONG ISLAND CITY 1, N.Y. Ⓡ"] If any viewers would care to forward more information about these sides and anything else about the sessions I will be happy to add it to this description, extending full credit if the contributor wishes it. 0:00 My Girl Is Just Enough For Me 4:24 Just For Once 6:49 I Feel Merely Marvelous 10:47 The Right Finger Of My Left Hand 13:17 Look Who's In Love 16:50 Uncle Sam Rag 20:45 Two Faces In The Dark 24:17 I'm Back In Circulation 27:05 Erbie Fitch's Dilemma 29:11 Pick Pocket Tango This original longplay soundtrack album was pressed and released as DCF-1047 by Design in 1959, and is part of my personal collection. I ripped its contents for my enjoyment and created this video hoping to share it with others who appreciate hard-to-find and obscure music. Should the current copyright holders require its removal from this site I will comply. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use.

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As the festive season approaches, it seems the perfect time to post these videos, Alvin Ailey's choreography for Ellington's music: Pas de Duke, Reflections in D and Night Creature...

The requisite page, from which the descriptions below the videos were taken, is here.

This Ailey dance was conceived back in 1976 for two of the greatest dancers of the 20th century: Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Starting with the basic elements of ballet, a dizzying combination of arabesques, pirouettes and double turns, Ailey then infused the classic Pas de Deux with jazz and modern dance and set it all to the cool sounds of Duke Ellington.

Ailey was exploring the extent of his own skillset when he created this strong yet serene dance piece for himself in 1962. While it’s only three minutes long, this solo ballet is stunning and highlights the grace, artistry and power of any male dancer who is given the opportunity to perform it.

Considered one of Ailey’s most joyous ballets, this effervescent production features a large ensemble in brightly painted outfits bursting with color. Set to the music of famed jazz composer Duke Ellington, the dance features a mix of traditional ballet fused with jazz and contemporary dance. Night Creature first premiered on a CBS television special, Ailey Celebrates Ellington, in 1976.