The music of Edward Kennedy Ellington and William Thomas Strayhorn has long been a staple of both the Great American Songbook and the jazz lexicon. This program of lovingly curated music contains some cherished classics, such as “Mood Indigo,” “Prelude to A Kiss,” and “Take The ‘A’ Train,” but also delves into some of the "deeper cuts" like “Star-Crossed Lovers,” “Absinthe (Lament for An Orchid),” and “Johnny Come Lately.”
The music of these two giants has everything: the grit of the blues, deep romance, the sound of the sophisticated city, a touch of melancholy (especially from Strayhorn), and profound musicality. In addition, few musicians shared a more powerful and common bond than these two men. They both struggled together as well, with issues like racism, thievery from publishers, and in Strayhorn's case, the decision to live as an openly gay Black musician during an intensely homophobic era.
Billy Strayhorn’s compositions have been an essential part of John di Martino's repertoire since the beginning of his musical career and that’s why he is the perfect partner for Janis Siegel for this re-imagining and re-interpretation of Ellington and Strayhorn's music. John's knowledge and sensitivity to this music is rare, and he totally immerses himself in the vibe whether it's swinging its tail off or settling into an intense introspective place.
The sonic palette of these co-composers/alter egos is a delightful playground, and Janis and John are looking forward to exploring the beauty, poetry and humanity of these two men.
Janis Siegel - vocals
John di Martino – keyboards
Lonnie Plaxico - acoustic + electric bass
Vince Cherico - drums
