The Church of Jazz: Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

January 24, 2016  Duke Ellington was a composer, musician, and consummate artist. We kick off our new “Church of _______” series with the music of this Jazz legend who once said, “What is music to you? What would you be without music? Music is everything. Nature is music (cicadas in the tropical night). The sea is music, the wind is music. The rain drumming on the roof and the storm raging in the sky are music. Music is the oldest entity. The scope of music is immense and infinite.” Come let music speak to you as we turn the service over to professional jazz musicians Terry Sullivan and Richard Armandi honoring Ellington by sharing his genius with us.

Vocalist Terry Sullivan sang in early music ensembles and small concert choirs before turning to jazz. An Ohio native, she has a degree in flute from Ohio University, but began singing after college. Anita O’Day and Blossom Dearie are influences. Ms. Sullivan sings in intimate venues in the Chicago area. In addition to traditional musical training beginning in grade four, she studied at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops at the University of Louisville, Kentucky.

Richard Armandi is one of the most versatile and in-demand musicians and educators on the Chicago scene today. As a jazz bassist he has performed with such luminaries as Marion McPartland, Barry Harris, Bobby Shew, David Baker, Jamey Aebersold, Dick Hyman, Scott Hamilton, Carl Fontana and many others, and has performed with such stars as Rosemary Clooney, Bob Newhart,Martin Short, Phyllis Diller and Rich Little. As a tubist he has performed with the Lyric Opera, American Ballet Theater, Grant Park Orchestra, Chicago Brass Quintet, and as featured soloist with the New Philharmonic, Ethos Chamber Orchestra, Concordia University Wind Ensemble, and at the 1992 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference. He is in constant demand as a bassist and tubist. As an educator he has served on the faculties of College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, IL), University of Illinois at Chicago, Triton College (River Grove, IL), and Trinity Christion College (Palos Park, IL) teaching bass, low brass, jazz combo and improvisation. He has also served on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops since 1990.

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