It looks like Duke Ellington is returning to the Howard Theater. A few weeks back, Housing Complex reported on the official start to renovations of the century-old theater. And while the finished structure will bring in some major musical acts, they will all stand in the shadow—quite literally—of Duke Ellington, who’s likeness will be immortalized by a large statue in the plaza out front.

When completed, "Encore" will be a 20-foot-tall steel sculpture of D.C. native Ellington, sitting atop an enormous treble clef in front of the theater. Washington City Paper got a look at some renderings depicting how the statue will appear when finally in place. Below, you can see the artist, sculptor Zachary Oxman, hard at work in his studio. According to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' blog, the design of the treble clef was Oxman's personal addition to the commissioned work, inspired by Ellington's handwritten compositions.

Outdoor rendering courtesy of PGN Architects, PLLC. Statue sketch by Zachary Oxman. Photo by Heather McKay Bowes.

The Howard Theatre

Ellis' plan for the property has three arms: a medium-sized stage and seating for 500-600 patrons, upscale food and beverage services to "complement a destination entertainment experience," and community-use spaces such as classrooms and recording studios. According to the plan, the Howard will be "symbiotic but not competitive with the other stars in the constellation of Washington theatres," focusing on music while other facilities, like the nearby Lincoln Theatre on U Street, will have "different but aligned missions."

History—the theater was at one point "the largest colored theatre in the world"—gets some emphasis amid new construction, too.  An addition will house a 600-square foot museum and gift shop showcasing "the astounding array of artists and guests that graced the Howard in years past."

The Howard's honorary board is rife with big names and industry heavy-hitters. Former chairman of Motown Records Clarence Avant, comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory, Sony BMG Executive Vice President Lisa Ellis, recording artist Wyclef Jean, and producer Quincy Jones are all listed as affiliates of the project. And, for what it's worth, its MySpace page lists Earth, Wind, and Fire and Chaka Khan among its top friends.  The project doesn't seem to have a set date of completion, but it'd be undeniably cool to see the Godfather of Go-Go perform once the Howard emerges from years of neglect.

Image courtesy Ellis Development Group

He's still controversial, but recently Wynton Marsalis has seen a bit of a re-evaluation—pointing out that beneath all the bile over his musico-political views, Marsalis is a brilliant and absurdly accomplished musician. His performance last night at the Kennedy Center (sponsored by the Washington Performing Arts Society), with the 14-piece Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, bore that premise out.

The program was designed with the broadest appeal in mind: big band arrangements of two children's songs ("Old MacDonald Had A Farm" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider"); a rip-roaring, traditional New Orleans blues; and tuneful pieces by Benny Carter, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. A fairly safe setlist, perhaps, but with superlative arrangements tackled by stellar, risk-taking performers. Trombonist Vincent Gardner might be the band's most gifted arranger (apart from Marsalis himself), turning in gorgeous settings of Kenny Dorham's "Trompeta Toccata" and Monk's "Light Blue." He's one to watch in the future...as are soloists Marcus Printup (trumpet) and Walter Blanding (saxophone). The former played one of the most flawless solos I've ever heard on "Bye-Ya"; the latter has done something entirely fresh on his tenor, emoting confidence and forthrightness while reining in the instrument's inbred swagger.

As for Marsalis, his trumpet playing was as golden and resourceful as always. One of its overlooked aspects is the absence of cliche in his improvisations (as opposed to the ones in his compositions): he uses standard devices, but always in fresh and startingly original ways. With any luck, his declarative solos last night on "Old MacDonald" and Dorham's "Stage West" were recorded; they demanded a note-by-note study.

If it's easy forget Marsalis' music when raging about his conservatism, it's also easy to forget his charm. He spent the evening poking fun at his musicians and joshing the audience. Even his (inevitable) cheap shot at Cecil Taylor was funny; explaining how his son had always fallen asleep at concerts when he was little, Marsalis noted that Taylor was excepted: "He stood right up and leaned over the railing, then turned back to me and whispered 'I can't believe how many people are showing up to listen to this!'"

Now that the "Jazz War" controversy is fading a bit, giving way to the knowledge that tradition and progression are both vital, Marsalis' value is becoming clear. His "conservative" music is sui generis, and he's a mentor to dozens of younger players like the ones who shone last night. No matter what you think of Wynton's musical views, nobody without great talent and skill gets as far as he has. See him when you can.

As previously announced, the theme for this year is "The Musical Heritage of New Orleans," and the headliner as such is trumpeter Terence Blanchard — who will be performing his 2007 piece A Tale of God's Will: Requiem for Katrina in its entirety on June 12, in a free concert at the National Mall.

Another highlight is a closing concert tribute to New Orleans pianist Ellis Marsalis, which will feature his sons Branford, Jason, and Delfeayo, along with Harry Connick Jr., a 15-piece big band, and some surprises.

The list of featured artists after the jump.

Paquito D'Rivera (DEJF Artistic Director)
Terence Blanchard & Orchestra
Harry Connick, Jr
Davell Crawford
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Little Freddie King
Branford Marsalis
Delfeayo Marsalis
Ellis Marsalis
Jason Marsalis
Nicholas Payton
Rebirth Brass Band
Irma Thomas
Buckwheat Zydeco

Precise schedule TBD, and will be posted at the festival's website when finalized.

Also note that this year the festival has been moved from fall to summer, scheduled for June 5-15. The city has arranged for DEJF to have a permanent spot on its events schedule in the second week of June. In addition, the "Jazz on the National Mall" event, previously the final day of the festival, will now expand to three days, June 12-14.