BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRIBUTE
THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON AND THE SONGS OF OPERA BARITONE TODD DUNCAN, (former Arts Club member), including comments from DR. JOHN HASSE, CURATOR EMERITUS AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM; LECTURER, PIANIST & AUTHOR OF "BEYOND CATEGORY": THE LIFE AND GENIUS OF DUKE ELLINGTON.
Performers: Steve Washington, Vocals
Stephanie Dailey, Vocals
Ellington Carthan, Pianist
Produced by Arts Club of Washington Member, Cliftine Jones
Thursday, February 6, 2025, 6:30 pm
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Members $55 - Non-Members $65
Price includes a reception before and after the reading with hors d'oeuvres, and open full bar.
John Edward Hasse
During his 33-year tenure at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, Curator Emeritus John Edward Hasse led exhibitions on Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles. He also founded the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, now celebrating its 34th anniversary, and international Jazz Appreciation Month, now celebrating its 24th anniversary. He led the Smithsonian’s successful quest to acquire the archives of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as John Coltrane’s saxophone, Dizzy Gillespie’s “bent” trumpet, and Ray Charles’s Ray-Bans.
Hasse’s books include a biography of Duke Ellington, a history of jazz, and a college textbook on jazz. John holds Masters and Doctoral degrees from Indiana University. He has written 60 articles on jazz for The Wall Street Journal and has lectured on leadership, the arts, and music in 25 countries. His website is: johnedwardhasse.com.
Curator Emeritus of American Music John Hasse led the Museum's effort to acquire the vast archives of Duke Ellington, authored a biography of Ellington, and founded the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and Jazz Appreciation Month.
Steve Washington
Has been performing for more than 40 years with earnest beginnings in Princeton University's singing groups and theatrical productions. After Princeton, Steve performed in numerous professional musical and dramatic theatrical productions. A highlight was working under the direction of the world-renowned producer, Cameron Macintosh, in a production of "Hey, Mr. Producer." Shifting focus to music, Steve began cultivating a jazz-infused body of work, including standards, big band, R&B, funk, Latin & Brazilian and has been presenting at the area's most popular venues including Blues Alley, the Atlas Theater, the Carlyle Club, Mr. Henry's Capitol Hill, the Katzen Arts Center, the Woman's National Democratic Club, and the Arts Club of Washington. Along the way, Steve enjoyed more than a decade headlining on the world's finest cruise ships with his one-man shows: "Nat & Sammy Remembered" and "Rhythm, Blues & Broadway." In the last 10 years or so, Steve's focus on jazz has sharpened. In late 2015, Steve released "Right to Love", featuring the Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra, which still enjoys international airplay and attention. A full-house CD Release concert at the famed Metropolitan Room in NYC followed and resulted in an invitation to present quarterly at the Metropolitan Room the following year. In 2018, appearances beyond the DMV, including a couple of month-long tours in Russia followed. The Russian tours resulted in "Skylark," a 2018 CD recorded in Moscow with the Sergey Vasiliev Trio. In 2020, Steve performed three live-stream concerts, courtesy of Blue House Studio's, "Covid Sessions" series. A CD featuring the standout cuts from those live concerts is pending. In 2023, Steve enjoyed another highlight as the opening artist at the North Carolina Jazz Festival. Steve continues to share his music whenever and wherever possible in the DMV and beyond and looks forward to more discovery and adventure in the enduring and always exciting world of entertainment.
Ellington Carthan
Just like his namesake, jazz pulses through Ellington Carthan’s veins. This up-and-coming jazz pianist’s diverse career includes performing, teaching, producing, and composing. Ellington holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Jazz Studies and Music Technology. He has his Masters of Music from Howard University, where he graduated in the fall of 2023.
Ellington enjoys mixing genres and resists being typecast. Ellington has been honored to perform for President Joseph Biden, the Attorney General of Massachusetts, Maura Healy, and at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, the French Embassy, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute, the famous jazz club, Blues Alley, Olney Theater and many other venues throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Ellington was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Music at St. Mary’s College of Maryland in July 2023, where he is the Director of Jazz Studies and Music Technology Courses and directs the Jazz Ensemble. In 2024 Ellington performed at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center and he has performed with the Post Classical Ensemble at the Kennedy Center.
Ellington is an alumnus of the Strathmore’s Artist-in-Residence program. Ellington has maintained a piano lessons studio since 2010 and taught at Sidwell Friends School. Ellington has also created a YouTube Channel to teach piano to anyone interested in learning.
Stephanie Dailey
Stephanie Dailey performs as a vocalist and violinist with multiple groups at venues throughout the DC metropolitan area. As a vocalist, she works with local musicians to provide exhilarating live, one-woman musical productions for older adults in retirement communities. The shows feature tunes from The Great American Songbook, colorful costumes, group singalongs, and cool props that transform the shows into visual as well as musical feasts.
As a violinist, Stephanie performs with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and the Levine Noontime Orchestra, and – in the past – with the NIH Community Orchestra. She also performs solo recitals at senior communities with the Adult Music Student Forum (AMSF).
Her latest CD, “Stephanie Dailey: On the Move,” features vocals from Broadway and jazz.
6:30 p.m. Doors open
7:00 p.m. Performance
8:00 p.m. Reception with the artists
Dress code: business casual
Discounted parking at 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
