Dizzy’s Club welcomes an intergenerational piano duo featuring Bertha Hope and Mike King for the second installment of its “Duke at 125 Residency” May 2-3 with two sets each night. Both share a perfectionism in their musicianship that allows for spontaneity and collaboration. Hope brings a wide musical vocabulary from pianists Richie Powell and Elmo Hope.
“Duke inspired us all with more music than we will ever learn,” said Hope. “He kept that band under great sacrifice for us to carry on for the next couple of centuries.” It is acknowledged that Ellington wrote or collaborated on over 1,000 compositions, especially those with Billy Strayhorn. Many of these compositions have become jazz standards, which speaks to his recorded jazz legacy. His granddaughter Mercedes Ellington recently shared with me that, during a Russian tour, Duke wrote on napkins and even his shirt sleeves at restaurants. With such a creative flow, it’s possible some of his compositions may turn up in an old footlocker or a Washington D.C. attic at some point. PERHAPS!
“My reimagination of Duke represents all of me and all the influences I’ve learned and have been motivated by [from] the many musicians I respect,” said Hope during a recent phone interview. “There will be heavy Duke melodies. I will play Bertha Hope inspired by Duke’s spirit.” The younger King has cut his chops with such notables as Gary Bartz, Billy Hart and tours with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Soul Understated, and his Mike King Trio.
Dizzy’s concludes its “Duke at 125” series with “Marc Cary & James Hurt Play Ellington” concluding on May 4-5. These two eclectic pianists are prepared to take audiences on an Ellington expedition that is yet to be experienced by longtime Ellington aficionados. Cary and Hurt will extend a few twists and turns to Master’s works.
“We both love Duke and will go through some of his repertoire like ‘My Little Brown Book,’ ‘A Flower is a Lovesome Thing,’ and ‘Black, Brown, and Beige,’” said Cary. “We know how to work with each other and know what to do. James and I have some different stuff brewing some piano and keyboards. There will be some original pieces I wrote that were inspired by Duke.”
Cary has a close connection to Ellington other than music. He was born in New York but, like Ellington, grew up in Washington, D.C. He attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and says, “Duke is at the base of my great love for this music.” He goes on to say during our phone conversation, “Cootie Williams [Ellington’s trumpeter] was my grandfather’s first cousin. He recommended my grandfather [Otis Gamble], also a trumpeter, to Ellington but because of family responsibilities he couldn’t join the orchestra. Not willing to go on the road for those long stretches, he started a union band in Providence, Rhode Island. When I’m celebrating Ellington, I am also celebrating the history of my family.”
Ellington’s quote, “Musicians should play with one foot in Africa and the other in the present” is a concept these two musicians have followed. “Marc and I have similar interests in music of various cultures [to include the Diaspora] which led to some recordings together and a long-lasting friendship,” said Hurt. “Duke Ellington set a high example of how to explore the full range of music with a wide lens from a global perspective. I appreciate the deep listening that goes on in this special setting and look forward to the music.”
There are two sets each night: May 4, 7pm and 9pm; and May 5, 5pm and 7:30pm. For reservations, visit jazz.org
One of the jazz world’s most eminent alto saxophonists, Charles McPherson, who enjoyed an extensive run with master bassist and composer Charles Mingus, appears at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club (2751 Broadway) for a now four-day engagement thru May 5.
Smoke, known for presenting the best in jazz, is pulling out all stops for this 25th anniversary. McPherson, with bebop references dancing out of his horn, will be celebrating the release of his new Smoke Sessions album “Reverence.” McPherson’s Quintet features an all-star cast with pianist Jeb Patton, trumpeter Terell Stafford, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Billy Drummond.
It’s somewhat of a mystery why this native of Joplin, Missouri, who has influenced generations of musicians and listeners for over six decades, whose career has played an integral part in the history of jazz, has yet to become an NEA Jazz Master. But for sure there is no mystery to his playing rooted in that hard hittin’ bebop and the blues enticing enchanting swingin.’
For reservations and times visit smokejazz.com.
A major Ellington celebration will take place on May 6 (at Manhattan’s Symphony Space) with the production of “The City of Jazz” that was inspired by a short essay Duke Ellington wrote in 1959, capturing his view on the all-inclusive nature of jazz, a metaphorical place with “no city limits.”
The characters take on titles of Duke’s compositions like “Satin Doll” and “Night Creature,” a composition he wrote for the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. The Duke Ellington Center Big Band will have 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, tap dancer DeWitt Fleming Jr., and jazz singers Antoinette Montague and Marion Cowings. Cabaret singer Sidney Myer will be narrator of this event with co-hosts Mercedes Ellington and Tony Waag.
The event is presented by the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts in Association with the American Tap Dance Foundation. Founded in 2004 by Mercedes Ellington, the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to scholarship, education, and performance connected to the legacy of Duke Ellington.
“We’re looking forward to a fun family birthday party to celebrate my grandfather and his remarkable legacy—we are pulling out all the stops for this milestone event!” said Ellington.
For tickets visit symphonyspace.org. or decfa.org. Symphony Space / Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, is located at 2537 Broadway; show is 8pm-10pm.