Honoring and preserving the legacy of Duke Ellington
SUCH SWEET THUNDER
Special YouTube Premiere
Sunday, April 19, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Hosted by Mercedes Ellington and Tony Waag
Photograph by Kyle Martin
Don’t miss the YouTube Premiere of Such Sweet Thunder – A Shakespearean Holiday Celebration! Experience Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s 1957 jazz suite brought to life with jazz, dance, and Shakespearean drama. The world premiere at Symphony Space in December 2025 earned three standing ovations.
Featuring the Duke Ellington Center Big Band, led by Eli Yamin, and a stellar cast including Karen Callaway Williams, DeWitt Fleming Jr., Marion Cowings, AC Lincoln, Mark Mindek, Antoinette Montague, Max Pollak, Miles Purinton, Luce Burrell, and the Precision Dancers. Ballroom couples add elegance and dramatic sweep.
Presented by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts with the American Tap Dance Foundation, this is a landmark celebration of Ellington and Strayhorn’s enduring legacy. View the program: Program Link Here!
WBGO’s The Art of the Story, hosted by Doug Doyle, has gone podcast — offering listeners a unique glimpse into the world of arts and entertainment. In a recent episode titled “Such Sweet Thunder”, Doyle interviews Mercedes Ellington, granddaughter of the legendary Duke Ellington, about a special concert honoring her grandfather’s life and music.
Listen to the full podcast episode: WBGO: The Art of the Story – Mercedes Ellington on Such Sweet Thunder
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Photograph by Kyle Martin
Preserving the Legacy of Duke Ellington
Considered one of America's greatest composers, arrangers, and bandleaders, with over 3,000 compositions attributed to him, Duke Ellington is a seminal figure in the history of American music. It is our honor to preserve his legacy through education, documentation, and performance.
Photograph by Kyle Martin
“Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited.”
— Duke Ellington