“Somehow I suspect that if Shakespeare were alive today, he might be a jazz fan himself.” -Duke Ellington
Around the globe, and especially in the U.K., April 23 is celebrated as National Shakespeare Day, when we commemorate the commonly accepted date for the 1564 birth of the Bard of Avon himself, William Shakespeare. Interestingly, April 23 was also the date of his death in 1616 at age 52.
It should come as no surprise that members of music royalty would pay homage to the magic of Shakespeare’s words in music—including, and perhaps most notably, the great jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer Duke Ellington and his alter ego, composer-arranger Billy Strayhorn.
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Black Music Sunday is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music. With over 150 stories (and counting) covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack, I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.