Healdsburg Jazz Harlem Nutcracker Suite

Healdsburg Jazz presents its annual holiday concert “The Harlem Nutcracker Suite” by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, performed by the Marcus Shelby Orchestra.  

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. There are nine sections that explore the range and tonal diversity of the big band orchestra. Although specifically written for the holiday season, the music has the energy, power, and joyfulness that could allow the suite to be played anytime of the year.  

The second half of this special holiday concert features celebrated Bay Area vocalist Tiffany Austin with the Marcus Shelby Orchestra, performing a program of Christmas songs, spirituals, and various traditional songs re-arranged from around the world. This portion of the concert includes poetry, a slide show, and other holiday surprises.   

Our annual Healdsburg Jazz Holiday Concert also includes a toy drive, so bring a small gift, or book, or toy that we will deliver to our local partners.

Playback: Duke Ellington presents The Nutcracker Suite