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"Accent On Ellington" Celebration at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Sponsored By Bell Atlantic Bell Atlantic will be the sponsor of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall's "Accent on Ellington" celebration, honoring the life and legacy of legendary jazz composer and bandleader Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington on the occasion of the centennial of his birth. "We are pleased to welcome Bell Atlantic as the sponsor of this special celebration," said Peter Lesser, Managing Director of the Music Hall. "Thanks to their generous support, some of the world's top jazz artists will play the Hall, each dedicating a portion of their show to the music of Ellington. "Bell Atlantic is proud to support this initiative by one of the region's leading cultural institutions," said Richard Amadon, Bell Atlantic's Public Relations Director. "The Music Hall has developed an outstanding mix of concerts and educational programs, and we are happy to participate in this salute to one of America's greatest musicians. The celebration begins on March 26th with two concerts by one of today's most accomplished jazz pianists, Marcus Roberts. A free daytime "Ellington Concert for Young People" will be followed by an evening performance by the Marcus Roberts Trio. Former Albany resident Stefon Harris, now one of the foremost jazz vibraphonists in the nation, returns to the area for a series of concerts April 13-16, including a reunion with the Empire State Youth Orchestra, Jazz and Percussion Ensembles. The residency will be capped off with a double bill featuring Mr. Harris' own sextet and a duo performance featuring vibes icon Milt Jackson and the patriarch of America's first family of jazz, pianist Ellis Marsalis. The bands of Albany Academy, Bethlehem, Mohonasen and Troy High Schools team up with guest soloists Nick Brignola, Mike Canonico, Peg Delaney, and Lee Shaw for a "Big Band Salute to the Duke" on April 29, Ellington's actual birthdate in 1899. The leading lady of piano jazz, Marian McPartland, takes the stage on May 1 for a program entitled "In a Sentimental Mood - Remembering Duke", and the world's foremost jazz ensemble, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, closing the celebration with America in Rhythm and Tune!! on May 14. The series of concerts will be complemented by a number of talks and presentations, including programs by Ellington experts David Berger, Phil Schaap, Jerry Valburn, Marcus Roberts and Bill Saxonis, as well as a series of presentations by Annie Kuebler, curator of the Ellington Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to the sponsorship of Bell Atlantic, co-sponsors include Pioneer Savings Bank, Stewart's Shops, Trustco Bank, and the Law Firm of McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams, with additional funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. For further information, contact the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall at 518-273-0038. In cooperation with Troy United Ink Corp., a not-for-profit corporation 
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