Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra to Present ROMEO & JULIET: Ellington's Love Songs

Experience an evening of elegance, passion, and timeless jazz with the CJRO big band on Saturday, January 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arvada Center.

This concert celebrates the romantic side of Duke Ellington's genius, showcasing the warmth, sophistication, and emotional depth of his most heartfelt works. The twenty-two-piece big band will also feature a string section including violins, viola and a cello.

Duke Ellington was more than a bandleader—he was a cultural icon who reshaped the sound of American music; his orchestra defined the sound of jazz for nearly fifty years. From Harlem's Cotton Club to stages worldwide, Ellington dazzled audiences with classics like Lady Mac, Take the A Train, and The Star-Crossed Lovers, many composed with Billy Strayhorn, his collaborator of over three decades. Ellington's elegant style and over 2,000 compositions elevated jazz into a celebrated art form, leaving an enduring legacy as one of America's greatest musical innovators.

While Ellington's music sets the tone, the program also explores music from other influential composers of the era, including Leonard Bernstein and Irving Berlin all brought to life by the power and nuance of a full jazz orchestra. Altogether, these works paint a rich musical portrait of love in all its forms — tender, joyful, heartbroken, and bold.