The Marcus Shelby Orchestra will perform the magical “Harlem
Nutcracker Suite” by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn,
which is a masterpiece musical re-arrangement and orchestration of the
well-known “Nutcracker” by classical composer Peter Tchaikovsky. Marcus
Shelby and his orchestra performed the “Harlem Nutcracker Suite” for the first
time, last year in Healdsburg and for the past decade at SFJAZZ. The music is
wonderful and exciting for audiences of all ages, who will
recognize many of the enduring themes from the original “Nutcracker” by
Tchaikovsky, using the blues and swing as the vehicle for the music.