Duke Ellington loved women who returned the sentiment; this passion for womankind inspired his oeuvre throughout his long career. The Duke Ladies are those whom he frequented, whose portraits he painted or who sang for him, embellished with subtle and refined arrangements (often with the complicity of Billy Strayhorn). His music paid homage to them with tenderness and humor.
The Duke Ladies are also the sincere and passionate female artists of our time who have come together to incarnate with talent and generosity the many facets of Ellington’s art. And since the maestro of charm considered that music is a woman, we dare to proclaim that women are the future of Duke! In his new project produce by Juste Une Trace, Laurent Mignard Duke Orchestra proposes a wide instrumental and vocal panorama in homage to women. Eight guest artists as Natalie Dessay, Roberta Gambarini and Rhoda Scott join the jazzwomen of the orchestra to embody with talent and generosity the multiple facets of the ellingtonian elegance.
The album DUKE LADIES VOL.1 is available here
