The Jazz Maui 2024 Maui Music Series presents “Mostly Duke” featuring renowned pianist Tommy James on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at ProArts Playhouse, 1280 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei. “Mostly Duke” features the music of collaborators Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. In addition to the standards such as “Take the A-Train” and “Satin Doll”, the performance highlights lesser known gems including excerpts from the Ellington Suites, an award-winning album of their original compositions. The show begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at ProArtsaMaui.org.

Jazz pianist Tommy James is also a composer, arranger and music director. He has been the pianist and music director of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and recently moved to Honolulu from his former home in New York.  Mr. James has worked with a wide ranging group of artists of many musical genres: among the outstanding artists and bands with whom he has performed and/or recorded are The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Joe Williams, Maureen McGovern, Cleo Laine/John Dankworth, Nell Carter, Marlena Shaw, Roy Ayers, Melba Moore, Manu Dibango, Billy Vera, The Spinners, and the Temptations. Tommy has served as music director with the international tour of the Tony-award winning musical “Bring in ‘da Noise”.  He has also been musical director for Dawn Lewis, Doc Powell, Bobbi Humphrey, and others.  Tommy’s arrangements have been performed by the Ellington Orchestra, the New York Pops, the LA Philharmonic, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic.