The Coastal Jazz Association presents a tribute to Duke Ellington on April 19 which will feature special guest saxophonist, Mark Sterbank.
This event will be celebrating the legacy left by one of America’s greatest musicians/ composers for what would have been his 110th birthday (born April 29, 1899).
Every year, The Savannah Jazz Orchestra, under the co-leadership of Teddy Adams and Randy Reese, features unfamiliar compositions and special guest artists as a part of enhancing the genius of every Ellington concert.
This will be CJA’s 23rd year paying tribute to Ellington.
Sterbank is assistant professor of Jazz studies and saxophone instructor at Charleston Southern University. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, where he received the coveted Performer’s Certificate and a Master of Music degree from the University of New Orleans, where he also studied with pianist Ellis Marsalis under a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.
His credits include performances with Fred Wesley, Mary Wilson, the Darius Rucker Big Band, the Charleston and Savannah symphonies, a national tour with the Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra, and performances with Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, Eartha Kitt, and the Temptations. Sterbank resides in Charleston, S.C.
Those in attendance will also bear witness to Priscilla Albergottie Williams, who is the featured vocalist for the Savannah Jazz Orchestra. Albergottie Williams, one of the finest vocalists in this area, has been performing both church and secular music and does them in superb equilibrium. She performed with trombonist, Teddy Adams, for years and was the featured vocalist with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra. She can be heard on SJO: live recording “Satin Doll,” the music of Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer.
This special concert will be held on April 19 at 5 p.m. at the Armstrong Atlantic State University Fine Arts Auditorium. It is free and open to the public and is presented by The Coastal Jazz Association through a generous grant from the city of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs.
