Jazz orchestra celebrates Duke Ellington

The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra will open its 2022-23 concert season with a tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

The concert will feature acclaimed pianist Eric Reed, and will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, at the Bijou Theatre. 

“Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn represent the pinnacle of American musical achievement” said orchestra director Vance Thompson. “Their music is as hip, relevant and exciting today as it was almost 100 years ago when Duke first began to make a name for himself in Harlem.”

The orchestra will perform a mix of music from the Ellington library, covering popular hits like Take the A Train and Satin Doll, as well as lesser-known masterworks.

Reed will perform alongside the orchestra and will serve as MC.

Reed was a founding member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, a band formed by Wynton Marsalis in part to extend the legacy of Duke Ellington and his music. Reed serves as Artist In Residence in Jazz Piano at the University of Tennessee School of Music.

The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece big band composed of professional musicians from across the region. Since its inception in 1999, the orchestra has performed dozens of concerts in East Tennessee, appeared on major jazz festivals in Europe, performed and recorded with internationally acclaimed guest artists, and released several critically acclaimed CD recordings.

Tickets are $42 adult/$19 student, and are available at http://www.knoxjazz.org or by calling the box office at 865-684-1200. Season subscriptions are also available.