Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Music” is a reverent and hip jazz composition written late in his career for jazz big band, vocal, and instrumental soloists, a gospel choir, and tap dancers. Ellington’s compositions for these concerts drew heavily on earlier pieces, which were then augmented to convey an intense emotion and reverence. It is both serious and swinging.
Ellington stated this was the most important music he’d ever written. However, because of the scale of the music and the sheer number of artists needed to execute each work, Ellington’s sacred music concert has rarely been performed. For over 30 years, Earshot Jazz has presented an annual concert of Ellington’s Sacred Music—now the world’s longest running presentation of Duke Ellington’s wonderful “Sacred Music”.
2022 Earshot Jazz ‘Sacred Music’ concert by Duke Ellington
Returning in 2022 for an in-person concert in the Town Hall Seattle Great Hall, the concert features the 17-piece Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra (SRJO), codirected by Michael Brockman and Clarence Acox, tap dancer Alex Dugdale, and vocal soloists Dee Daniels and Jacqueline Tabor.
- When: Friday, December 30, 2022 at 7:30pm PST
- Where: Livestream or in person at Town Hall Seattle
- Tickets: $10-$50. More info: Buy: Concert of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music (2022) (force.com)
- More info: Ellington’s Sacred Music – Earshot Jazz
You might also like: Our big list of live music gigs & concerts (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)
