Edward Kennedy Ellington II
 Guitarist, Duke Storyteller

"I was born by the river in a little tent, and just like the river... Actually, the river was the Hudson and the tent was a lovely brownstone on Riverside Drive, but it sounds so much better when Otis describes it.

Duke Ellington, my grandfather, let me travel with the band, on occasion, for many years. After Ellington went on the road for the last time, I joined my father, Mercer Ellington, as guitarist and roadie in the new Ellington orchestra. After spending five years on the road, I left the band for twenty years of self-imposed exile (details in my unauthorized auto-biography, as yet to be printed -- or written).

I was resurrected in 2003, ironically, by future members of the Ellington Legacy Band -- Rob Susman and Virginia Mayhew. Since then, they have judiciously and continuously threatened to whip me beyond recognition if I fail to practice."

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Norman Simmons
 Pianist, Chief Arranger

Sarney Norman Simmons, 6 October 1929, Chicago, USA. Simmons studied piano at the Chicago School of Music (1945-49) and then worked as house pianist in various Chicago clubs - the BeeHive (1953-56) and the C&C Lounge (1957-59). In the late 50s he became the accompanist to vocalists Dakota Staton and Ernestine Anderson and then settled in New York. He worked as an arranger for Riverside Records. He recorded with Johnny Griffin and worked with the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis/Johnny Griffin Quintet. He is an accomplished accompanist  and arranger who worked with Carmen McRae throughout the 60s and with Joe Williams into the 90s. He has also played with vocalists Anita O'Day, Helen Humes and Betty Carter and with Roy Eldridge and Scott Hamilton and Warren Vaché. He taught for Jazzmobile (1974) and joined the faculty of Paterson State College in 1982. Norman's recent performances include working with Carol Sloane, The Statesmen of Jazz, Houston Person, and his own group, The Norman Simmons Quintet. Norman joined the Ellington Legacy Band in 2002, and enjoys writing, arranging and playing piano with the band.

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Virginia Mayhew
 Saxophonist, Band Leader, Arranger

Saxophonist-composer-arranger Virginia Mayhew has been an active participant in the New York jazz scene since 1987. In the course of her career, Virginia has worked with such renowned artists as Earl "Fatha" Hines, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Al Grey, Junior Mance, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Doc Cheatam, Joe Williams, Leon Parker, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Chico O'Farrill, Ingrid Jensen, Claudio Roditi, Nnenna Freelon, and many others.

Virginia has appeared as a leader in most of the City's jazz venues, as well as performing throughout the United States, Europe, the Newly Independent States, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Australia, and Southeast Asia. She has performed at many jazz festivals as a leader, has traveled twice as a representative of the United States as a Jazz Ambassador, and has 6 CDs under her own name.

Virginia is the Musical Director and saxophonist of the Duke Ellington, and is also part of another exciting Ellington project, “Dreamin' the Duke”, featuring Nnenna Freelon and classical soprano, Harolyn Blackwell. She also leads her own quartets and a septet and freelances.

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Nancy Reed
 Vocals

Nancy Reed was born in Brooklyn, New York and has worked steadily in the music business since 1980. The daughter of an Opera singer and a Jazz Pianist, she has performed in many concert and club settings and recorded 12 CD’s. She has toured Italy and performed with pianist David Leonhardt for 15 years and has also toured Japan with her own trio.

Nancy has performed and recorded with guitarist Spencer Reed for 35 years as well as with other Jazz luminaries such as David “Fathead” Newman, Phil Woods, Sue Terry, John Coates, Phil Markowitz, Houston Person, Dave Liebman (with whom she has recorded a yet-to-be-released CD), Bob Dorough (with whom she recorded 2 Schoolhouse Rock projects and performed at Carnegie Hall). She has also taught numerous vocal workshops over the past several years.

"..the dramatic focus Reed brings to bear... is as impressive as a prize ornament on the tree." -DownBeat Magazine, Frank-John Hadley

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Noah Bless
 Trombone

Noah Bless has been performing for over 20 years. He received his Bachelor's degree in classical and jazz performance from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music. Since arriving in New York City in 1990, Mr. Bless has contributed his authoritative sound to over 50 albums for various artists including Paquito D'Rivera, Mario Bauza, Don Braden and
Celia Cruz.

Mr. Bless' work and contributions have been honored with major industry awards including the Grammys and the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. He has played with dozens of bands including Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Kamikaze Ground Crew, Marc Anthony, J LO, Willie Colon, La India and Eddie Palmieri.

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Jami Dauber
 Trumpet

Trumpet player Jami Dauber is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where she earned a Masters degree in Jazz Studies and was
the first female trumpet player in the world-renowned One O'clock
Lab Band.

In 1994, Jami relocated to New York City  and has been enjoying an active freelance career, including jazz gigs, subbing on numerous Broadway shows, and being a member of The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, with whom she has worked with such greats as Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Diane Shuur, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck, Jon Hendricks, Nnenna Freelon and Dee Dee Bridgewater.  Jami joined the Ellington Legacy Band in 2008 and loves every minute of it! 

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Paul Wells
 Drums

Paul Wells was born in Pittsburgh where he began taken drum lessons at the age of 10. He later attended the prestigious Pittsburgh Middle and High Schools for the Performing Arts, where he studied with classical percussionist Jan Fung and ex-Horace Silver and Ray Charles drummer Roger Humphries. After a busy few years freelancing, he decided to move to the New York City area to further his education and broaden his career.

While earning his Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies, Paul became an active member of New York's unparalleled music scene. Paul toured with legendary jazz vocalist Joe Williams throughout the 90's. Paul freelances within the elite NYC jazz scene with artists such as Eric Alexander, Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Houston Person, David "Fathead" Newman, Mark Murphy, Jeanie Bryson, Larry Goldings, Wycliffe Gordon, Jim Rotondi, Rufus Reid, Dennis Irwin, The Duke Ellington Legacy, and Vince Seneri.

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Tom DiCarlo
 Bass

Bassist Tom DiCarlo holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music degree from Rutgers University. He has performed with Claudio Roditi, Dave Schnitter, Ralph Bowen, Roseanna Vitro, Don Braden, Norman Simmons, Gap Mangione, Pat LaBarbara, Joe LaBarbara, Sean Jones, Frank Lacy, Orrin Evans, Richard Wyands, Bob DeVos, Joe Magnarelli, and Joshua Breakstone.

Tom has appeared on Cablevision television with groups such as the Ralph Peterson Quintet, Gordon Lane Trio, and his own quintet. As an educator, Tom has taught at the Montclair University Preparatory for the Arts program, Jazz Connections Workshop, NJPAC Jazz for Teens Program, and is an adjunct professor of music theory lab, jazz bass, and director of jazz combo at Lafayette College.

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Sheila Earley
 Percussion

Sheila Earley, is a drummer and percussionist. Sheila has performed with a variety of jazz artists, including: Tom Harrell, Byron Stripling, Marlena Shaw, Carol Sloane, Norman Simmons,  and Virginia Mayhew. Sheila has been teaching privately and performing in the NYC area since 1999.

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