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This Duke Ellington gig still inspires after 60 years [1]

['Noelani Kirschner']

Date: 2024-04-29 21:02:47+00:00

In 1963, Duke Ellington and his orchestra performed in India while touring South Asia and the Middle East as a U.S. jazz ambassador. The concert that introduced many people to jazz for the first time continues to inspire.

Sixty years later, the U.S. Department of State played video from the show for students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington. Several jazz students marveled at the sounds and styles of Ellington and his bandmates, and at music’s ability to communicate across languages and borders.

“With jazz, you can express yourself more freely,” says Jodie, a saxophonist at the school. “It’s more like having a conversation than giving a speech.”

Founded in 1974, the school, named for the legendary pianist who was born and raised in Washington, offers a traditional education alongside training in the arts, including dance, instrumental music, and cinematic arts and media production. Students include those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to develop their artistic talents.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, the U.S. government enlisted jazz musicians, such as Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, to perform in countries where few people had heard the free-flowing musical style so reflective of American values.

The State Department’s music diplomacy continues today with numerous efforts including the OneBeat exchange program that brings together musicians from around the world to make music and develop strategies to address shared challenges.

For International Jazz Day, April 30, ShareAmerica is featuring this video to revisit Ellington’s India concert and celebrate its power to energize young musicians decades later. In Washington, performances on April 29 will commemorate the 125th anniversary of Ellington’s birth.

Jazz is “a good way to connect with other people,” says Caleb, who studies piano at the Ellington school. “You don’t have to understand what someone’s saying to understand the feeling of the song.”

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[1] Url: https://share.america.gov/this-duke-ellington-gig-still-inspires-after-60-years/

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