When we think of jazz music, usually what comes to mind are trumpets, upright basses, pianos and big names such as Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. For those with an appreciation for this finer side of music, the first-ever Duke Ellington Jazz Festival is taking over the Washington area.
The five-day event is showcasing jazz performers from all over the United States in celebration of jazz legend Duke Ellington, a Washington native and one of the most important musical innovators of the 20th Century. The festival kicked into gear Wednesday and has been taking place all over the city with performances at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Theater and Lankford Auditorium.
Jazz on the Mall, an afternoon of jazz at the Sylvan Amphitheater on the National Mall, features eight groups and artists that will perform this Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. – and it’s free.
The festival boasts an impressive lineup of performers whose quality and style are unparalleled in today’s jazz world. The Wayne Shorter Quartet – which has recently performed on albums by big-name bands such as Dave Matthews Band and Modest Mouse and has a deep history with jazz legend Miles Davis – kicks off the performances. The quartet is followed by the Wallace Roney Sextet and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The Dirty Dozen, which is actually made up of 10 members, has its roots in New Orleans, where the band members revived the brass band movement and even had a day dedicated to them. Other artists on the bill include “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown, Jerry Gonzales and the Fort Apache band, who devote themselves to Afro-Caribbean Jazz and the Latin rhythm. Last on the list is Sunny Sumter, the only woman on the program, who packs enough world beat to rival the rest of the performances combined.
The fun doesn’t stop there: Jazz groups will also be performing tonight through Sunday night at Blues Alley and U Street venues. The festival runs at various times until Sunday. For more information check out www.dejazzfest.org.
