Duke Ellington leads the Symphony of the Air (composed of former members of the NBC Symphony Orchestra) in the world premiere of his work “New World A-Comin,” feat. pianist Don Shirley. At New York City’s Carnegie Hall. March 16, 1955.
If you're listening to jazz radio or you find yourself reading these words on a jazz radio station's website, you probably already know the immutable laws of Duke Ellington’s universe: The A-Train’s the quickest way to Harlem. It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. And what exactly that IT is — the thing supposedly rendered meaningless in the absence of swing — well, that’s unknowable.
But there is one thing I do know: the universe that is Ellingtonia is more vast than most know. To illustrate, this Black History Month, KSDS presents: The Symphonic Ellington.
Throughout February, each weekday at Noon, we’ll bring you Ellington’s extended works — the suites, symphonies, and tone parallels that represent 40 years worth of Edward Kennedy Ellington’s grandest musical ambitions.
That’s every weekday at Noon, all February long, right here at KSDS Jazz 88.3 FM in San Diego, and all around the world at jazz88.org and the KSDS mobile app.
