On March 1st, 2024, the Duke Ellington Orchestra performed at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, filling the space with impressive playing and, above all, a sense of joy and connectedness. Without a doubt, this Orchestra carries on Ellington’s legacy of both music and performance that is beyond category.
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974) was one of the most influential musicians and composers of the 20th century. His nickname, “Duke,” came from a childhood friend who thought that the way Ellington conducted himself was akin to a noble. Duke Ellington was a wonderful pianist, but as one of his closest collaborators, Billy Strayhorn, would put it, “Duke Ellington plays the piano, but his real instrument is his band.” Even at the beginning
