The Ellington Society meets one evening per month from September through June at Saint Peter's Church, 619 Lexington Street at 54th Street and in New York City. These meetings are always open to the public. Most meetings feature an invited guest who may be a musician (we've hosted virtually every member of the Ellington orchestra), producer, jazz historian, scholar, musicologist, writer, or record/CD collector.

Recent guests have included bassist Jimmy Woode, trombonist Monsignor John Sanders, producer George Avakian, composer and pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, jazz historian Dan Morgenstern, singer and actress Annie Ross, festival organizer George Wein, and pianist Billy Taylor.

Our meeting formats have included recorded music featuring the guest speaker, live music provided by the speaker to illustrate a point in their presentation, performance/reading of a play, viewing a film followed with discussion and panel discussion of a pertinent topic.

Two meetings each season feature live music. In September we celebrate the Opening of the Season and in December we have our "Holiday Party". Both have live music and are free to members. These performances have featured musicians with their bands, such as, saxophonist Joe Temperley, vocalist Ruth Brisbane, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeter Warren Vache, the Gully Low Jazz Band, vocalist Valerie Capers, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks and Kim Kalesti / Marion Cowings -- just to name a few.

One meeting per year is dedicated to "Member's Choice," when all members have a unique opportunity to share with others their favorite recordings and their love of Ellington. A theme is chosen and members have an opportunity to share a favorite Ellington recording that fits the theme. Themes in the past have included: "Around the World with Duke Ellington", "Johnny Hodges", "Ben Webster", "Ellington Bassists", "Billy Strayhorn", "Duke Ellington in the Fifties","The Music of Juan Tizol", "Solo Ellinton", "Segments from Longer Works", "Duke Ellington the Re-composer" among others.

Recently the Society has also presented one-day conferences as the "monthly meeting". See CONFERENCES.

Business meetings are meetings for the election of Board Members and other business. These are held for members, usually as part of a monthly meeting.

See ARCHIVES for a list of meetings' speakers, subjects, dates and whether the meeting was recorded.

Our Society holds its meetings, live-music parties and concerts at:

Saint Peter's Church
619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street
New York, New York.
212.935.2200

It is easily accessible via subway trains:

Lexington Avenue stop
51st Street stop.
Entrance is on 54th street.

Metered parking is available on 54th Street and parking garages are located in the area.