85,000 fans packed the the National Mall in Washington, D.C, for the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival’s two-day New Orleans on the Mall extravaganza featuring 10 renowned New Orleans groups: the Rebirth Brass Band, Terence Blanchard, Buckwheat Zydeco, Donald Harrison, Little Freddie King, Nicholas Payton, Irma Thomas, Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders, Trombone Shorty and Bob French’s Original Tuxedo Jazz Band. The audience was delighted by the music and great surprises.  DEJF Artistic Adviser Paquito D’Rivera made surprise appearances, guesting with both Buckwheat Zydeco and Donald Harrison; Trumpeter Nicholas Payton spotlighted bassist Esperanza Spalding, currently featured in a Banana Republic campaign, who sang an entrancing “Let It Ride.” The young phenomenon Trombone Shorty, who sings and plays trumpet and trombone, whipped the crowd up into a frenzy with an amazing set during which he and his band members swapped instruments, putting Shorty on the drums.  They played like nothing happened and ended the set by jumping into the crowd and starting up a second line.  Irma Thomas closed the night with her incredible blues-fused jazz vocals including her song from the movie “Secret Life of Bees” and implored the crowd to donate to the festival and help keep great music alive for the people.

The four Marsalis brothers performed at The Kennedy Center as the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival and the Kennedy Center presented Celebrating a “Jazz Master: Ellis Marsalis” in tribute to their father. At the concert, in-between upbeat horn-fueled tunes, the sons swapped funny family tales and one-upped each other as only brothers can do, but always agreeing upon the fact that their father was, as their brother Ellis III recited from the stage in his compelling ode, “…a beacon, both being and showing.”  After intermission, Dr. Billy Taylor came out to play a piece in honor of his friend before Harry Connick, Jr., emerged to play a piano duet with Marsalis and then to sing “Stardust.”  The brothers returned to the stage with Connick, Jr., still on piano and Eric Revis on bass to round out the rhythm section. Herlin Riley spelled Jason Marsalis on drums whenever Marsalis was on xylophone.  During the concert, Maestro Marsalis was presented with the DEJF’s 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award, who only wanted to thank his wife Dolores.