Swampscott’s Community Jazz Orchestra performed Duke Ellington’s Afro-Bossa suite on Thursday. 

The Blue Big Band, directed by world-class jazz musician Timo Shanko, performed at the Swampscott High School. The ensemble presented music from Ellington’s 1963 album, a vibrant and rhythmically rich collection that blends African and Latin American musical influences into a jazz collection. 

“Duke Ellington and his co-composer Billy Strayhorn represent the greatest in American composition,” Shanko said. “The music transcends genre. The depth of feeling and musical mastery elevates our experience as players and listeners.”

The suite prominently showcases band members, including different features for saxophone players and trumpets alike. Each piece also highlights a specific mood and rhythm. Some pieces are more syncopated and feature a chromatic layering, while others are more tension-filled and have a dramatic brass line. 

The fusion of musical influences is more of an impressionistic soundscape. For example, the interweaving of complex grooves creates a rhythmic cycle that comes from the African music call back. Throughout the suite, the brass and reed section also often mimic the drums, which have more of a Latin feel with shakers, claves and bongos. 

The harmonies remain jazzy, with rich chords and transitions, but the voicings are more airy to represent the different musical styles Ellington forged together. 

“This performance is a beautiful community event, for the musicians and the audience.  Swampscott’s residents have an incredible amount of artistic talent and passion,” said Joe Douillette, a teacher at the Swampscott High School and the band manager. 

The Blue Big Band is a program through the Swampscott Senior Center. Weekly practices add an activity for the senior center members, both through participation and attendance. 

Anyone is able to join the band if they have a connection to Swampscott through residency, work or education. 

“I have been thrilled to be able to work with the Swampscott Senior Center to create this opportunity, celebrating an art form that is truly American,” Douillette said.  “In a time when the arts are being defunded on a federal level, it is essential that we as citizens create moments where we can carry on and build on this legacy.”