The Leif Arntzen Quartet: “All Ellington ...on Ellington"
Saturday April 22nd 11 Am to 2 pm (raindate Sunday April 23rd)
Straus Park (on Ellington Boulevard)
106th and Broadway
New York City
Presented by the Friends of Straus Park to celebrate the Anniversary of the park restoration.
“ALL ELLINGTON"
with
The Leif Arntzen Quartet
Leif on Strauss Park Outdoor Concert:
“To me, city parks are critical to enjoying life in a big city. They're all the more serene and beautiful next to concrete, brick, pavement, cars, and confusion...especially a neighborhood park so loved and well cared for as Straus Park on the Upper West Side. I love the trees, the paths, the calm, watching the kids come and go, and playing music in this setting is so relaxing to me. Playing Duke Ellington's music in a park on a street named after him makes the experience all that much richer. It puts me in touch with nature's great creations at the same time."
Leif on why “All Ellington:
“I have this record I used to listen to about 25 years ago. It's Louis Armstrong with Duke Ellington, recorded in the 60s with a small group of Ellington/Armstrong All Stars, playing Ellington compositions. A great record, with Louis and Duke playing Duke's classics in such a relaxed studio session. Recently I was trying to re-learn a particular Ellington song, pulled out this record to check it out, and wound up listening to the whole record over and over again, becoming re-addicted to their sweet genius. Louis' mature singing and playing tone and phrasing was so economic and beautiful, and Duke's songs and piano playing so soulful, artfully rich and sophisticated. For me, the recording connects so many playing and composition dots from today's scene back through 85 + years of this art form. “All Ellington" started from that...saying to my band “How about we do all Ellington tonight? I just want to keep hearing these tunes." Once again I find myself checking out the past to see which way to go from here."
The Leif Arntzen Quartet is:
Leif Arntzen, vocals/trumpet
Frank Ponzio, piano
Vito Leszcak, drums
Will Woodard, bass
For more information contact All About Jazz.
