All the kids in the band...

 

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Live: May 2025

It is advisable to book any event listed here in advance when possible and check with the promoter/ organiser to ensure any performance is going ahead as planned before travelling.

Wednesday 7- Sunday 11 May

Essentially Ellington 2025

Details here.

Thursday 8 May- Sunday 11 May 2025

Julliard Jazz Orchestra Plays Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Era

The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra takes the stage at Dizzy’s Club, showcasing the extraordinary talent fostered at one of the world’s most prestigious music institutions. These rising stars, already making waves in the jazz scene, are mentored by some of today’s most respected musicians. Known for their sold-out performances at the club, they return with a dynamic tribute to Duke Ellington, focusing on the iconic Jimmy Blanton and Ben Webster era (1940-1942). Experience the energy, passion, and precision that define Juilliard’s legacy and the bright future of jazz.

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

JJO 6A (May 8 & 10) 

Mejedi Owusu, lead trumpet 
Jack Towse, trumpet 
Nathaniel Williford, trumpet 
Miles Keingstein, trumpet 
Nick Mesler, lead trombone 
Grace Rock, trombone 
Luke Ramee, trombone 
Adam Stein, lead alto saxophone 
Kelvin Walters, alto saxophone 
Aidan McKeon, lead tenor saxophone 
Daniel Cohen, tenor saxophone 
Nicklas Caldwell, baritone saxophone 
Blake Slaughter, guitar 
Brandon Goldberg, piano 
Pedro Sequeira, vibraphone 
Allison Lee, bass 
Karl Seyer-Hansen, drums 
Ava Preston, vocals 

JJO 6B (May 9 & 11) 
Miles Keingstein, lead trumpet 
Mejedi Owusu, trumpet 
Preston Rupert, trumpet 
Ace Williams, trumpet 
Luciano Soriano, lead trombone 
Andre Perlman, trombone 
Grace Rock, trombone 
Sion Song, lead alto saxophone 
Miriam Goroff-Behel, alto saxophone 
Daniel Cohen, lead tenor saxophone 
Gustavo Cruz, tenor saxophone 
Veronica Leahy, baritone saxophone 
Edwin Corne, guitar 
José André Montaño, piano 
Lazlo Torok, vibraphone 
Logan Zaud, bass 
Jesse Parker, drums 
Kate Kortum, vocals 

Details here.

Saturday, 17 May, 16:30 (EST)

Ellington Pianiste with Philippe Milanta

Salle Ferrier - Site Duranti du Conservatoire Charles Munch, 7 rue Duranti 75011

WORKSHOP organisé par la Maison du Duke et Leïla Olivesi avec les CMA 11 et CMA 20

"Ellington, pianiste" avec Philippe Milanta

Samedi 17 mai à 16h30 - Conservatoire Charles Munch CMA 11 - 7 rue Duranti - 75011 - Salle Ferrier

Philippe Milanta est un pianiste exceptionnel et protéiforme. Lauréat du prix Sidney Bechet et du Prix Jazz Classique de l'Académie du Jazz, il excelle aussi dans le domaine du jazz moderne comme en attestent ses deux derniers albums : WASH en solo et 1,2,3,4 en quartet. Il a collaboré avec des artistes variés tels que André Villéger, Claude Bolling, Glenn Ferris ou Stan Laferrière pour n'en citer que quelques uns. Pianiste du Duke Orchestra de Laurent Mignard, Philippe est maître dans l'art ellingtonien et il joue cette musique d'une façon moderne et créative.

Le workshop sur la musique d'Ellington donnera lieu à une masterclasse et un petit concert de restitution des élèves et de Philippe Milanta.

Details here.

Sunday, 18 May 15:00 (EDT)

Ellington Effect Workshop #51: Sepia Panorama

with David Berger

Can't make the live call?  Your ticket includes access to the video recording forever.
Each presentation will last around 2 hours, followed by a Q & A.
Joining any workshop also gets you access to the private Ellington Effect Facebook group, where lively discussions continue after the workshops finish.

About Sepia Panorama

This piece is one in a long line that mixes the blues form with other forms like Birmingham Breakdown, Black And Tan Fantasy, The Mooche, Merry Go-Round, Jack The Bear and many more to come, like The Blues from Black, Brown, And Beige, Happy Go-Lucky Local and, of course, Harlem.

Normally, Ellington gave Strayhorn credit for his compositions and arrangements, but as in the case here and numerous other pieces where Strayhorn only contributed a few bars or even as much as a chorus or two, Ellington receives full credit. This is an early example where Ellington lifted eight bars of ensemble from Strayhorn’s unrecorded arrangement of Tuxedo Junction. Ellington’s instructions to Tizol (the copyist) said, “To TJ”. This section occurs twice accompanying Carney’s solos. The rest of the piece is Ellington.

Part of Ellington’s genius is his ability to integrate other’s contributions into his concept. In this case, Strayhorn’s aggressive 8-bar phrase is the perfect foil to the relaxed, understanded surrounding sections. Its relationship to the opening and closing chorus forms a palindromic rondo—ABCDCBA, which in European Classical music is a common form but rare in jazz.

Also integrated are the personalities of the soloists (Blanton, Tizol, Williams, Carney, a duet between the piano player and Blanton, and Webster) into the ensemble writing. In live performance (such as the Fargo recording in November), the two interior solo blues chorus were each repeated. Both Ellington and Webster stayed close to their recorded solos for the first chorus. The time restraints of the 78-rpm phonograph record forced the soloist to be more succinct and pithier. As in the case of other Ellington and Basie condensed recorded versions, this sometimes made for more focused forms.

Sepia Panorama served as the band’s radio opening theme until the ASCAP/BMI war (Warm Valley was the closing radio theme). Ellington, being an ASCAP composer could not have his compositions played on the radio, which BMI controlled. The remedy was to use a piece composed by Billy Strayhorn to begin and end each radio broadcast. Take The 'A' Train took over in January 1941 and became the band’s theme for all performances henceforth, replacing Sepia Panorama on the radio, and the more evocative East St. Louis Toodle-oo on live performances.

Details here.

Sunday 18 May, 17:30 (PDT) 

Francesco Crosara Ellington Tribute

Cellar Cat, 11253 NE State Hwy 104 Kingston, WA

Details here.

Thursday, 22 May, 2025, 19:00 (EDT)

National Jazz Museum in Harlem Celebrates Lawrence Brown

Nick Mesler and Quartet

Join trombonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader Nick Mesler for an evening celebrating the life and legacy of the great trombonist Lawrence Brown, whose trombone NJMH currently has on permanent display. Nick will perform this concert on Brown’s horn, a King Liberty 2B from 1950, and will be accompanied by a rhythm section (TBA) of other young lions steeped in the jazz idiom.

Musical selections will include compositions Brown wrote (or co-wrote with Duke Ellington and others), as well as premieres of rare original works; the evening will also include conversation and expert discussion of Brown’s life and legacy with NJMH Senior Scholar Loren Schoenberg. Enjoy hearing Nick’s signature, beautiful sound on Brown’s horn, which has been played very little since he passed. This will be a true night to remember!

Lawrence Brown, one of the forefathers of the trombone and a pioneer in melodic playing across the jazz idiom, is under-appreciated in the modern day. Born in 1907, Brown influenced nearly every notable trombonist of his era and beyond, from balladeers Tommy Dorsey and Jack Jenny (who copied his intense, melodic style and embellishments) to J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, and beyond. Not only was his soloing studied and emulated, but his lead playing in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra from 1932-1950 and again from 1960-70 solidified him as a true musician’s musician; reliable, emotive, and responsible for much of the trombone section stylings heard in big bands from the 1930s to the present.

Nick Mesler was born and raised in Seattle, WA, where he quickly established himself as a preeminent jazz trombonist, composer, and scholar during his formative years. After moving to NYC in 2021, he quickly immersed himself in the scene as a passionate young musician dedicated to embodying and furthering the jazz idiom.

Nick is currently earning both his Bachelor’ and Master’s degrees in jazz studies from the Juilliard School via their five-year program, and has performed at venues across the world. He has played/collaborated with many luminaries of the music, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Rufus Reid, Melissa Aldana, Ingrid Jensen, Russell Malone, Warren Wolf, Elio Villafranca, Loren Schoenberg, and many others.

An accomplished composer and arranger, Nick leads his own big band, which recently premiered his first long-form suite, Alone in the Dark. Additionally, he has become a specialist on Duke Ellington, his legacy, and his band through both a musical and historical lens by transcribing many rare Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn works.

This event is FREE. RSVP here.

Essentially Ellington 2025

Essentially Ellington 2025, the thirtieth anniversary of Jazz At Lincoln Center's annual band competition begins in a week's time.

The entire festivities may be watched for free here.

From the website:

JOIN US FOR THE 30TH ANNUAL ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON FESTIVAL!

We’re thrilled to welcome 30 outstanding high school jazz bands to New York City for the 30th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, taking place May 7–11, 2025. This milestone year features five days of workshops, performances, and community building, culminating in a spectacular final concert at the Metropolitan Opera House. Tickets for select competition events and the final concert are on sale now.

All competition events leading up to the final will stream for free on Jazz Live, and tickets for the final concert featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and top-placing student big bands are on sale now. We can’t wait to celebrate the future of jazz with this incredible community.

The 2025 finalist bands are listed in the video below—each one set to take part in a week of music, mentorship, and celebration. Keep exploring to see the full lineup and this year’s exciting festival schedule.

MAY 11

FINAL CONCERT AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with Wynton Marsalis in concert at the iconic Metropolitan Opera House. This landmark event, taking place May 11, 2025, is the culmination of the 30th annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s premier education initiative, which brings together top high school jazz ensembles from across the globe for rehearsals, jam sessions, master classes, performances, and community-building. Alongside the JLCO’s headlining set, the afternoon will feature top-placing student big bands, making this a powerful tribute to the future of jazz and an unforgettable experience at one of New York City’s most storied venues.

BUY TICKETS

And don't forget - to celebrate thirty years of Essentially Ellington, Blue Engine Records has released the equivalent of over a dozen CDs of recordings by the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra: Essentially Ellington: The JLC Recordings 1999-2025

Golden Feather

 

Steve Allen, Gene Krupa, Leonard Feather, Sammy Davis Jr., and Duke Ellington", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_201.html

Down the rabbit hole of the Internet the other day, via UK Jazz News and Ethan Iverson's Substack, Transitional Technology, I chanced upon The Leonard Feather Collection, housed at the University of Idaho.

There is much of interest to be found for Ellington aficionados. The search page for Ellington may be found here.

Of particular interest is an interview with Duke that Feather conducted, including discussion of the Encyclopaedia of Jazz and Ellington's participation in one of the famous "blindfold" tests. This may be accessed here.

Below is a collection of Ellington-related photographs from the Feather collection...

 Duke Ellington", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_511.html

Duke Ellington with an unidentified vocalist woman", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_512.html

Duke Ellington, Leonard Feather, Nat "King" Cole, and Johnny Hodges", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_212.html

Leonard Feather at the piano, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and others", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_196.html

Steve Allen, Gene Krupa, Leonard Feather, Sammy Davis Jr., and Duke Ellington", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_201.html

Unknown couple sitting at table", Leonard Feather Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/feather_leonard/items/ijc_leonard_feather_304.html

Launching Pad

 

Very exciting news as we are pleased to announce that the Tony Faulkner Archive of Ellington/ Strayhorn transcriptions has been received by Birmingham City University where the collection will be housed as part of the Duke Ellington Society UK Archive.

Pictured is Dr Pedro Cravinho, Senior Research Fellow in Ethnomusicology and Jazz Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and the Academic Lead for the Arts, Design & Media Archive at Birmingham City University. Dr Cravinho was a key person in ensuring the Faulkner Archive came to Birmingham City University.

Tony Faulkner is a highly regarded composer, drummer, arranger and educator. He  enjoyed a long career as a Jazz educator, principally as a tutor at the Leeds College of Music, and has helped many of the finest British Jazz musicians of the last 35 years hone their compositional, performance and ensemble skills.

When Tony retired from Leeds College of Music, he graciously donated his considerable library of manuscripts, arrangements and transcriptions to the Duke Ellington Society UK. The library was entrusted to DESUK member Mike Fletcher who runs the Kinda Dukish big band in Birmingham. Mike curated the collection for a number of years, tracing missing parts and putting the papers into good order. Earlier this year with the help of his son, Mike Jr., the Faulkner Collection came to BCU where it will now be housed permanently and will, we hope, eventually be available for study and performance. The DESUK Archive at BCU already contains Tony's library of books on Ellington and Strayhorn which he donated generously some years ago.

The scope of musical charts contained within the collection is nothing less than astonishing. Among the many highlights is a complete score for A Drum Is A Woman, the Shakespearean suite, Such Sweet Thunder, Suite Thursday, The Controversial Suite and titles such as Smada, Blue Skies, Sepia Panorama,  Primping at the Prom, Rose of the Rio Grande,  B.P. (Black Power), Hello Dolly, Fly Me to the Moon, Frustration,  Progressive Gavotte,  Transblucency, The Big Drag, Miss Lucy, Hit Me with a Hot Note, Kissing Bug, I Fell and Broke My Heart, I Got it Bad and that Ain't Good (Wild Bill Davis score) and the list goes on...

Many thanks to Dr Pedro Cravinho, Mike Fletcher, Mike Fletcher Jr and, of course, Tony Faulkner himself for the safe keeping, curating and creating this superb collection which will be a priceless legacy for admirers of the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn for years to come.

Here's To Veterans

Pianist Duke Ellington hosts this episode of Here's to Veterans. In between pre-recorded music, Ellington gives tips on how to properly write to the VA about benefits such as providing a C number.

Duke Ellington performs the following songs:

Three Little Words
Satin Doll
Flamingo

[Broadcast on July 30th, 1953?]

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

Here is a label from another Here's To Veterans programme we have yet to trace...

Live: April 2025

 It is advisable to book any event listed here in advance when possible and check with the promoter/ organiser to ensure any performance is going ahead as planned before travelling.

Sunday, 6 April 2025, 14:00 (CET)

Ciné Rencontre, 23, rue Alsace Lorraine, 42130 Boën-sur-Lignon, France. 

Une Poule Sur Un Piano

Une poule sur un piano

AU CINÉMA L'ENTRACT À BOËN

Qu’est venu faire Duke Ellington en 1966 au beau milieu du Forez ? Pourquoi a-t-il été autant marqué par le château de Goutelas et par ceux et celles qui l’ont reconstruit ? "Une poule sur un piano" est un film documentaire citoyen riche de bon sens et d'humanisme qui raconte l'histoire d'hommes et femmes de tous horizons unis pour un même idéal.

Avant le concert Goutelas Suite par le big band du CRR de Saint-Étienne, à 16h30 au Château de Goutelas (sur réservation), rendez-vous au cinéma L'Entract pour la projection du film, suivie d'un échange en présence de Laurent Lukic, réalisateur du film.

(AT THE L'ENTRACT CINEMA IN BOËN

What was Duke Ellington doing in 1966 in the heart of the Forez region? Why was he so influenced by the Château de Goutelas and those who rebuilt it? "A Chicken on a Piano" is a civic-minded documentary film full of common sense and humanism that tells the story of men and women from all walks of life united by a common ideal.

Before the Goutelas Suite concert by the big band of the CRR de Saint-Étienne, at 4:30 p.m. at the Château de Goutelas (reservation required), join us at the L'Entract cinema for a screening of the film, followed by a discussion with Laurent Lukic, the film's director.)

Details here.

Sunday, 6 April, 16:30

Chateau de Goutelas 277 Goutelas, 42130 Marcoux, France

COMPLET – Goutelas’Suite

BIG BAND JAZZ DU CRR DE SAINT-ÉTIENNE

 Le concert est COMPLET. Merci pour votre compréhension !

En février 1966, le pianiste de jazz américain Duke Ellington séjourne à Goutelas alors en pleine reconstruction. Durablement marqué par son passage et ses rencontres, il compose quelques années plus tard une Goutelas Suite. Cinquante ans après sa mort, place au big band du conservatoire de Saint-Étienne pour mettre à l’honneur cette œuvre exceptionnelle.

Contrairement à l'information figurant dans le dépliant 2024-2025, le concert aura bien lieu à 16h30 et non 16h. Merci de votre compréhension !

SOLD OUT – Goutelas’ Suite

SAINT-ÉTIENNE CRR JAZZ BIG BAND

The concert is SOLD OUT. Thank you for your understanding!

In February 1966, American jazz pianist Duke Ellington stayed at Goutelas, which was undergoing reconstruction. A lasting impact from his visit and the people he met, he composed a Goutelas Suite a few years later. Fifty years after his death, the Saint-Étienne Conservatory's big band will be celebrating this exceptional work.

Contrary to the information in the 2024-2025 brochure, the concert will take place at 4:30 p.m., not 4:00 p.m. Thank you for your understanding!

Details here.

Friday 11 April 2025

Cicognini-Rodari via Galcianese n. 20/4 – Central district- 59100 -Prato

Details here.

Sunday, 27 April 2025, 14:00 (PST)

A Duke Ellington Tribute with The Mike Braverman Sextet and Duke On Film

VIFF Centre, 1181 Seymour Street; Vancouver, British Columbia; V6B 3M7

Celebrate Duke Ellington’s birthday with a career-spanning selection of short films and excerpts from his first filmed performance in Black and Tan (1929) to Symphony in Black (1935) featuring Ellington alongside a young Billie Holiday, to excerpts from Anatomy of a Murder (1959), Paris Blues (1961) and more. The Mike Braverman Sextet will add to the festivities with a joyous live performance of tunes from Ellington vast repertoire that will exemplify legendary vocalist Joe Williams’ declaration, “Ellington is only forever.”Wednesday, 30 April 2025, 19:30(BST)

Details here.

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Birthday Broadcast WKCR 89.9 FM NY 24 hours

Tune in here.

North West Duke Ellington Orchestra Directed by Phil Shotton

The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool Hope University

 Liverpool, 17 Shaw St, Liverpool L6 1HP

The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra does what it says on the tin – plays the fantastic music written and arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

Directed by Phil Shotton, the 15 piece big band celebrates the music of Duke Ellington playing music from all eras of Ellington’s output, from his Cotton Club days to the swinging suites.

With band members from all over the North West (Cheshire, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside) brought together by the challenge and excitement of playing Duke Ellington’s most brilliant music, this will be a night to remember.

Details here.