YOU THINK YOU KNOW DUKE ELLINGTON.
THIS ALBUM MAY CHANGE THAT.
Celebrating the Relase of the Ellington Masterworks CD
by the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Recorded at MCG Jazz
The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra releases Ellington Masterworks on June 12 — and it's a live recording that goes somewhere most Ellington records never dare to go.
Say the name Duke Ellington and most people picture the same things: the tuxedo, the showmanship, the velvet-smooth classics that defined American music for half a century. "Sophisticated Lady." "It Don't Mean a Thing." "Take the A Train."
Timeless. Iconic. Deservedly beloved.
But here's the thing about geniuses: the famous stuff is rarely all they had. Most have so much more to give!
Ellington is no exception. He composed constantly: through every decade of his career, across every style and scale imaginable, for himself, and for specific musicians whose voices he knew as intimately as his own. Extended suites. Sacred concerts. Film music. Works that premiered once and then quietly disappeared from the setlist and the zeitgeist, overshadowed by the more mainstream and popular “hits.”
That's exactly the music that the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO) is bringing back to life on Ellington Masterworks, their new album with MCG Jazz, out June 12, 2026.
What Makes This Album Different
This isn't necessarily a greatest-hits tribute. It's a deep-cut deep dive.
The SJMO drew on something most orchestras don't have access to: the Smithsonian Institution's Duke Ellington Collection, one of the most significant archives in American music history. Working through that material gave the ensemble, along with conductor and artistic director Charlie Young, an authoritative lens into the lesser-known corners of Ellington's catalog.
The eight pieces on this album were composed between 1940 and 1968. Some of them may be completely new to even longtime Ellington fans. All of them are extraordinary.
"You're going to get a different entry point into Ellington and his artistry," says drummer and executive producer Ken Kimery, who has been part of the Smithsonian's jazz program since 1993. "It gave us a sense of authoritative voice to be able to celebrate it, versus just playing it."
The recording also has a Pittsburgh connection that makes it especially meaningful: it was captured live on April 6, 2024 at MCG Jazz in Western Pennsylvania, making this part of a long, ongoing partnership between the SJMO and the GRAMMY Award-winning Pittsburgh institution that stretches back to the late 1990s.
After all, this project is a culmination of several longtime relationships, across both decades and miles. Marty Ashby, VP and Executive Producer at MCG Jazz says, “MCG Jazz has enjoyed a long and meaningful artistic partnership with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, spanning recordings as well as live performances across the United States, Asia, and Europe.”
Ashby adds, “This live recording, captured in our music hall in Pittsburgh, represents a true milestone—celebrating the enduring legacy of one of the most important composers and musicians of all time, Duke Ellington. Under the direction of Charlie Young, the program highlights a stunning collection of lesser-known Ellington masterworks, offering audiences a deeper glimpse into the breadth and brilliance of his creative vision.”
And honestly, what more could you want?
The Music, Track by Track
Here's a little taste of what's waiting for you.
"The Flaming Sword" kicks things off in 1940, built over a classic harmonic foundation but with its own shifting rhythmic personality. It announces immediately: this both is– and isn't– the Ellington you already know.
"Tattooed Bride" is the kind of piece that makes you wonder why you've never heard it before. At over twelve minutes, it unfolds from a tiny four-note idea (derived from the shape of the letter "W," of all things) into something genuinely grand. Big, bold, unpredictable phrasing. This one will stop you in your tracks!
"Race" from 1968 was written for an unfinished film about Edgar Degas' horse racing paintings (yes, really!) It was originally conceived as a showcase for Ellington's iconic alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges. On this recording, Steve Williams takes on that role— and delivers.
"Madness in Great Ones" is from a 1957 suite Ellington and his collaborator Billy Strayhorn built around Shakespeare's plays. This piece takes on Hamlet, blending fugue-like writing with soaring trumpet passages. It's sophisticated, literary, musical, and fiery all at the same time.
"Ad Lib on Nippon" grew out of the orchestra's landmark 1964 tour of Japan. It stretches nearly twelve minutes and wanders beautifully with piano, bass, and clarinet each taking turns in the spotlight. This spotlights the loose, confident energy of a band playing for the history books.
"Oclupaca" is "Acapulco" spelled backwards. (Ellington had a sense of playfulness and humor!) From the 1968 Latin American Suite, it features a warm, sinuous tenor saxophone voice threading through shifting ensemble textures.
"Shepherd" is the emotional center of the album. From Ellington's Second Sacred Concert, it's a slow blues written to honor Reverend John Gensel, the "Jazz Pastor" of New York City who ministered to the city's community of musicians and night-shift workers. Trumpeter Barbara Laronga's performance is something special. Kimery describes it this way: "She plays it so beautifully with such passion… I think if Cootie Williams was still alive, he would have been very honored."
"Jack the Bear" closes the album with one of Ellington's most unique and fun structural tricks — a 12-bar form that keeps shifting on you, balancing big ensemble moments with solo features. It's unexpected, and it is a a perfect ending.
Why It Matters
2024 marked the 125th anniversary of Duke Ellington's birth. It felt like the right moment— maybe even a necessary one— to remind the world that his legacy is bigger than the standards, bigger than any single era, or a typical greatest-hits collection.
Ellington didn't just write songs. He wrote for people: for the specific musicians around him, their individual sounds and personalities woven directly into the music. "It wasn't just about a composer writing music that he had envisioned," Kimery says. "He actually included all these musicians that have these unique voices as part of the sculpting of his music."
That philosophy carried forward into how the SJMO approached this recording. Soloists were encouraged to find their own voice in the material — not to reproduce what's on the old records, but to meet Ellington's compositions where they live: as living repertory, not museum pieces. This is what MCG Jazz is all about, too!
The result?? An album that honors the past while sounding completely modern and present.
Purchase. Listen. Share. Stream. Add It to Your Playlists.
Ellington Masterworks by the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra is out June 12, 2026 on MCG Jazz. Available at MCG Jazz and on all major digital streaming services.
You may check it out or purchase the CD here!
To learn more about the album or MCG Jazz, please visit www.mcgjazz.org.
Label: MCG Jazz
Buy the album by clicking here!
For more information, please contact MCG Jazz at 412-322-0800 or visit www.mcgjazz.org.
