Honoring and preserving the legacy of Duke Ellington
Celebrating Duke Ellington's 125th Birthday in The City of Jazz
May 6th, 2024
8:00pm
Symphony Space - Peter Jay Sharp Theatre
Join us for a fun family birthday party filled with love, led by Mercedes Ellington celebrating her grandfather, Duke Ellington! Experience an evening brimming with love, music, and surprises, dedicated to celebrating his unparalleled legacy. Co-hosted with Tony Waag.
A celebration of the 125th birthday of jazz great Duke Ellington with The Duke Ellington Center Big Band under the musical direction of Eli Yamin. Special guest artist and eight-time Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill will be featured in the evening’s lineup of dancers, vocalists, and surprise guests, including drummer Bobby Sanabria, Broadway veteran Ty Stephens, top tapper DeWitt Fleming Jr., and jazz singers Antoinette Montague and Marion Cowings. The multiple award-winning icon of New York City cabaret, Sidney Myer, will be narrator for this special event.
Presented by the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts in Association with the American Tap Dance Foundation.
Duke, Mercedes and Mercer Ellington
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Preserving the Legacy of Duke Ellington
Considered one of America's greatest composers, arrangers, and bandleaders, with over 3,000 compositions attributed to him, Duke Ellington is a seminal figure in the history of American music. It is our honor to preserve his legacy through education, documentation, and performance.
“Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited.”
— Duke Ellington