June 17, 2009 - Terrence Blanchard, Pacquito D’Rivera, W.E.S. Group, Harry Connick, Jr., - all big names in the Jazz world; all participants in this year’s Duke Ellington Jazz Festival that brought together jazz lovers from all around the city (and the country) for ten gloriously jazz filled days in celebration of the man himself, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington – D.C’s native born son.

From workshops for kids of local DC public charter schools that taught the three tenets of jazz*, (that had students singing along to positive lyrics and beats), to free concerts on the national mall, to jazz performances in various night clubs and restaurants in each corridor and quadrant of the city (over 100 performances in total), jazz was alive and well (again) in Washington, DC.

With this year’s theme celebrating the sounds of New Orleans, Jazz is king, and Blues its sultry prince.

Go forth into that place of jazz improvisation, Blues, and swing*.

Listen to the sounds as the the jazz masters perform and sing.

And right before it was all said and the performances done,

a Kennedy Center finale with father and sons. 

Ellis Marsalis, Jr. on piano, sons Wynton on trumpet, Brandford on sax, Delfeayo on trombone; jammin’, vibin’; sounding their best together, than they ever could alone.

The crowd on its feet, rendering applause after applause;

pop Ellis accepts the DEJF Lifetime Achievement Award for his musical career, a very noteworthy cause.

Just in time for Father’s Day, with a look of pride on his face; his son, Ellis III, says of his father, “we’d be nearly the better to have as much grace”.

Thanks to all of the players of this year’s 5^th annual Duke Ellington Jazz Fest; for giving us a platform to showcase the genre of one of music’s all-time best.

Related

Learn about New Orleans and Jazz

First Lady Hosts DEJF and Students at the White House