Jazz orchestra honors Duke Ellington with a modern twist

Sofia Hussain, Contributing Writer

The VCU Jazz Orchestra and Sextet performed a tribute to Duke Ellington to honor 125 years of his legacy at the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall at the W.E. Singleton Center for Performing Arts on Oct. 17, according to Taylor Barnett, assistant professor of music and director of the jazz orchestra.

The ensemble played Ellington’s pieces, but with an additional modern twist to some of his pieces, Barnett said.

Ellington’s pieces encapsulate multiple styles of music such as R&B and rock ’n’ roll, according to Barnett.

“He’s the example of what we consider an amazing composer,” Barnett said. 

Jazz has an African approach to music which is communal and social, Barnett said.

“Jazz is a collaborative art form,” Barnett said. “It’s people bringing their own personalities and having musical conversations.”

The concert had multiple small jazz ensembles, vocalists, featured soloists and a big band, according to Malik Gray, the lead alto saxophonist and third-year jazz studies student.

Every modern genre has its roots in jazz, Gray said.

“It’s the beginning of how modern harmony is interpreted,” Gray said.

The concert included a variety of pieces from Ellington such as his popular hits and songs that weren’t released, such as “Queen Suite,” which was written as a tribute to the queen of England, according to Aniyah Ricks, a third-year music student and bassist in the ensemble.

“Not only does it allow the musician to express themselves, it has a way of connecting the audience,” Ricks said.

Jazz allows artists to tell a story multiple times with different approaches, Ricks said. Musicians understand the importance of how jazz connects to our world today.

“It’s the epitome of human emotions —  you want to be able to distribute the music in the best way possible so the audience can feel the same way,” Ricks said. “Tributes like this not only educate the audience, but it shows them a glimpse of the past.”

Jazz helps people know the roots and develop connections and understanding of the music, according to Ricks.

“Jazz will always be here,” Ricks said. “It’s something people of all ages can listen to.”

The concert highlighted Ellington’s struggles as an African American man living in a society where he wasn’t accepted, according to Olivia Stith, a third-year music student and vocalist in the ensemble.

Stith said she hopes the concert allows for a sense of appreciation for the creation of jazz and an understanding of where it comes from.

“I think it will open doors for learning,” Stith said. “It allows for a space for people to ask questions.”

Jazz influenced other genres of music, according to Stith.

“Jazz is essentially American history,” Stith said. “It’s a foundation of where we are today and how the music industry functions.”

People use music to convey emotions they can’t convey with words and is an important part of social justice movements, according to Victoria Baird, a third-year jazz studies student and saxophonist in the ensemble. 

“Music has been around for everything,” Baird said. “If we don’t study it and don’t listen to it, we are missing a huge historic part of our upbringing.”

Ellington wrote music curated to members of his orchestra and what they were best at playing, according to Liliana Dunn, fourth-year vocal performance student and vocalist in the ensemble.

Concerts allow people to broaden their music knowledge and appreciate different genres of music, according to Dunn.

“It’s important to go to concerts to broaden your knowledge,” Dunn said. “I hope people can see this as a stepping stone to discover lesser-known jazz artists and support students following their dreams.”