The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra

The North West Duke Ellington Orchestra was formed in 2024, directed by acclaimed saxophonist and bandleader Phil Shotton, the 15-piece big band brings together Ellington obsessed musicians from across the North West, including Cheshire, Lancashire, Liverpool City Region, and Manchester. The orchestra is dedicated to celebrating the music of jazz legend Duke Ellington, performing pieces from across his illustrious career—from his early 1920s Cotton Club dance tunes to the dynamic and sophisticated suites of the 1950s. The ensemble performs music largely sourced from The Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra’s ‘Essentially Ellington’ programme, featuring note-for-note transcriptions of historic live performances by The Duke Ellington Orchestra. The band gives audiences an authentic experience of the timeless brilliance of Ellington and his long-time collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, as they were mea