The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts

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The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts - DECFA is celebrating and promoting the life and culture of the legendary Jazz composer Duke Ellington.

09/26/2026

Recording date: September 23, 1968. Mexico City.

Concert at the Auditorio De La Reforma.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Mercer Ellington, Herb Jones, Cootie Williams, t; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, tb; Chuck Connors, btb; Russell Procope, cl, as; Johnny Hodges, as; Paul Gonsalves, Harold Ashby, ts; Harry Carney, bs; Duke Ellington, p; Jeff Castleman, b; Rufus Jones, d.

Satin Doll
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Take The "A" Train

Don’t miss it!! Antoinette Montague
09/22/2026

Don’t miss it!! Antoinette Montague

09/22/2026

Recording date: September 17, 1956. New York.

Columbia recording session at the 30th Street Studio for the tv show and album "A Drum Is A Woman." Duke Ellington (talking), Joya Sherrill, and Candido Camero overdubs on October 22, 1956.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, t; Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, tb; John Sanders, vtb; Jimmy Hamilton, cl, ts; Rick Henderson, as; Russell Procope, as, cl; Paul Gonsalves, ts; Harry Carney, bs; Duke Ellington, p; Jimmy Woode, b; Sam Woodyard, Candido Camero, d.

A DRUM IS A WOMAN [tv soundtrack]
Congo Square - Joya Sherrill, vocal
Carribee Joe - Joya Sherrill, vocal
Drum Is A Woman - Margaret Tynes, vocal
Rhumbop - Joya Sherrill, vocal

09/16/2026

Tony Waag & Mark Mindek bringing so much joy and dancing to the 15th Annual Joyful Celebration at Duke Ellington Circle! What a beautiful day it was—filled with music, movement, laughter, and community. A truly joyful celebration! Tony Waag stiltdancer1

09/15/2026

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” — The Duke Ellington Center Big Band & Full Cast

And of course… IT HAD TO SWING!

The Duke Ellington Center Big Band and Full Cast came together for one of Duke Ellington’s most famous and enduring songs. It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)says it all. Music, dance, rhythm, joy—and that unmistakable Ellington swing! A celebration that had the entire cast moving and the audience feeling the beat!

Come Sunday with The Duke Ellington Center Big Band. We opened our celebration with one of Duke Ellington’s most profoun...
09/14/2026

Come Sunday with The Duke Ellington Center Big Band. We opened our celebration with one of Duke Ellington’s most profound and beautiful compositions.

Performed by the Duke Ellington Center Big Band, under the musical direction of Eli Yamin, this timeless work set the tone for an afternoon honoring Duke’s music, spirituality, elegance, and extraordinary artistic vision.

The celebration was co-produced and co-hosted by Mercedes Ellington, Duke Ellington’s granddaughter and Founder & Artistic Director of The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, and Tony Waag, Founding Director of the American Tap Dance Foundation.

Our extraordinary cast featured Grammy Award–winning vocalist and three-time Grammy Award nominee Catherine Russell, along with Michael Choi, Marion Cowings, Karen Callaway Williams, Sharon K. Janda, AC Lincoln, Mark Mindek, Antoinette Montague, Ema Nohalova, Max Pollak, and Ty Stephens. Special guest David Schroeder.

It was a beautiful beginning to a very special celebration of Duke Ellington — bringing together music, dance, movement, and some remarkable artists to honor a musical legacy that continues to inspire.

Night Creatures with Michael Choi, Ema Nohalova & Mark MindekThe mood shifted into something mysterious, theatrical, and...
09/14/2026

Night Creatures with Michael Choi, Ema Nohalova & Mark Mindek
The mood shifted into something mysterious, theatrical, and utterly captivating with Night Creatures.

Ballroom dancers Michael Choi and Ema Nohalova, alongside stilt walker Mark Mindek, brought imagination, movement, and dramatic energy to this unforgettable piece—revealing yet another dimension of Duke Ellington’s extraordinary musical world. Duke was never confined to one sound or one style. His music invited movement, storytelling, and imagination—and this performance captured that spirit beautifully.

A mesmerizing reminder of why Duke Ellington’s artistry continues to inspire across generations. Ema Nohálová Michael Choi stiltdancer1

Photo by Tony Waag

Creole Love Call — Antoinette Montague, Grammy winner Catherine Russell, and Sharon K. Janda Antoinette Montague Catheri...
09/14/2026

Creole Love Call — Antoinette Montague, Grammy winner Catherine Russell, and Sharon K. Janda Antoinette Montague Catherine Russell Sharon K Janda

Three remarkable voices came together for a beautiful celebration of Duke Ellington’s distinctive early composition. Sharon K. Janda brought her warmth, spirit, and unique musical personality to the performance, beautifully complementing the extraordinary vocal power and presence of Antoinette Montague and our special guest, Grammy winner Catherine Russell.

Together they created a wonderful celebration of jazz, connection, and the enduring magic of Duke Ellington’s music.

A truly memorable moment of the afternoon.

Photo by Jamara Wakefield Jamara Wakefield

09/14/2026

Still feeling the magic from yesterday’s celebration! Tony Waag American Tap Dance Foundation Duke Ellington Center for Arts
We were honored to co-host and co-produce the 15th Annual Duke Ellington Celebration at the iconic Duke Ellington Statue in Harlem — an unforgettable afternoon filled with music, dance, community, and the timeless spirit of Duke.

Through Mercedes’ artistic vision, alongside the incredible Tony Waag, we were proud to help bring the energy, creativity, and legacy of Duke Ellington to life in the heart of Harlem.

Presented by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, in collaboration with the American Tap Dance Foundation, this special gathering continues a beautiful tradition of honoring one of Harlem’s greatest musical visionaries.

We are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this celebration so special.

The legacy lives on.
The music lives on.
The spirit of Duke lives on.

Address

211 Duke Ellington Boulevard, Ste 7A
New York, NY
10025

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