"Permission granted by the estate of Mercer K. Ellington."

THE AMERICAN JAZZ INSTITUTE PRESENTS A TWO-CONCERT "ELLINGTON REUNION PROJECT" to be held on the Claremont McKenna College campus.

The American Jazz Institute and Claremont McKenna College bring together many of the outstanding musicians who performed over the years with the Duke Ellington's legendary orchestra. The band members will participate in a truly historic 3-day event of public concerts and oral history interviews.

Two not-to-be-missed concerts will highlight the genius of Ellington and his musicians. On Saturday evening at McKenna Auditorium on the CMC campus, the visiting Ellington alumni will join the AJI Big Band to perform Duke's classic New Orleans Suite and the Ellington-Billy Strayhorn masterpiece, The Queen's Suite. On Monday evening, the Ellingtonians will be featured in a special after-dinner jam session at the Athenaeum on the CMC campus.

Ellington alumni scheduled to attend are Butch Ballard, Art Baron, Louie Bellson, Dave Black, Jeff Castleman, Buster Cooper, Devonne Gardner, Milt Grayson, Lil Greenwood, Barrie Lee Hall, Herb Jeffries, John Lamb, Dolores Parker, Vince Prudente, Eve Smith, Rocky White, Patricia Willard, Barbara Winfield, Jimmy Woode and author Walter van de Leur.

"Ellington Reunion Project" is a presentation of The American Jazz Institute, Claremont McKenna College LA Jazz Oral History Practicum Project, and the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies.