Duke Ellington Honored at 14th Annual Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival

Duke Ellington
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s passing in May 1974, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival has organized three events:

Exhibition
Duke Ellington: A Giant among Giants

The André Malraux library will host a free exhibition of twenty-five album covers for the Duke's recordings. It takes place from May 15 through June 19.

Bibliothèque André Malraux
78, boulevard Raspail
75006 Paris
Metro: Rennes (Line 12)
Entry: free

Jazz Chat
Duke Ellington: Gospel and Sacred Music

Composer and conductor Laurent Mignard, founder of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, will share his passion for Ellington's work during a discussion to be held at Café Les Editeurs on Friday, May 16th. Supported by the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts when it was founded in 2003, the orchestra has reincarnated Ellington's music on stages across the globe.

Les Editeurs
4, carrefour de l'Odéon
75006 Paris
Metro: Odéon (Lines 4, 10)
Entry: free

Concert
Duke Ellington: Gospel and Sacred Music

Nave of Saint-Sulpice Church
© Cezary Piwowarski
This event has been conceived as an invitation to discover and share the spirit of the Duke. The Duke Quintet:

•• Laurent Mignard
trumpet and group leader

•• Philippe Chagne
saxophone

•• Philippe Milanta
piano

•• Bruno Rousselet
bass

•• Julie Saury
drums

will regale the audience with Ellington's tunes.

Attendees will also enjoy several traditional and contemporary gospel songs. Singer-composer Emmanuel Djob of "The Voice" will perform with his choir "By the Gospel River," which is described as a figurehead in modern gospel. Also singing will be Madagascan jazz and gospel singer Myra Maud and American soprano Nicolle Rochelle, who brought Josephine Baker to life in the play by Jérôme Savary.

The concert will take place at 9 PM on May 20th at Saint-Sulpice church, where Ellington performed a concert of sacred music in 1969.

Eglise Saint-Sulpice
Place Saint-Sulpice
75006 Paris
Metro: Saint-Sulpice (Line 4), Mabillon (Line 10)
For ticket information, click here.

Duke Ellington in stencil art
© Discover Paris!
For more information about the festival (in English), click here.

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