Jazz lovers have something to look forward to this week as Liverpool’s Capstone Theatre welcomes the North West Duke Ellington Orchestra on Friday 13th November, celebrating the timeless compositions of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Directed by Phil Shotton, the 15-piece big band is dedicated to performing the extraordinary music written and arranged by Duke Ellington and his long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn.

Its repertoire spans the breadth of Ellington’s career, from the music of his famous Cotton Club years through to his later swinging suites. Ellington’s contribution to jazz is difficult to overstate. As a composer, pianist and bandleader, he developed an instantly recognisable orchestral language and wrote music specifically around the individual sounds and personalities of the musicians in his ensemble. Alongside Strayhorn, he created a body of work that remains central to the big-band repertoire.

The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra brings together musicians from Cheshire, Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside, united by both the challenge and exhilaration of performing this remarkable music. For audiences, it promises an evening filled with the colour, sophistication and swing of one of jazz’s greatest orchestras, recreated by a large ensemble with a genuine enthusiasm for Ellington’s music.

More information and tickets are available now via the Capstone Theatre website