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JLCO plays Duke Ellington

Usher Hall Show Dates: 11 Aug 2026-11 Aug 2026

A rare opportunity to experience Duke Ellington’s monumental jazz symphony, Black, Brown and Beige. 

Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige weaves the sounds of blues, spirituals and work songs into a suite for jazz orchestra. Ellington, troubled by clichéd representations of Black culture, felt it was ‘time a big piece was written from the inside’. His ambitious suite gives a powerful account of Black life in America, from slavery, through emancipation, segregation and military service, to a new era of prosperity and cultural assertiveness. 

In the years since its 1943 premiere, Black, Brown and Beige has been hailed as a remarkable musical and political statement. Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra recently released a definitive recording of the work.  JLCO trombonist Chris Crenshaw conducts and Ekep Nkwelle joins to sing the haunting, melancholy ‘Blues theme mauve’. The orchestra is also joined by emerging stars of the American jazz scene, who will curate a surprise programme to complement Ellington’s masterpiece.    

Sung in English with surtitles 

Running order to be announced on the night. The day after the performance, you’ll find the full repertoire and order listed on this webpage.

Location:

Performances