Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet), Anna Webber (tenor and flute), Mikel Patrick Avery (drums and percussion), Silvia Bolognesi (bass), Tomeka Reid (cello), Matthew Miller (trombone), Paul Barrels (viola)

In 2024, through a joint commission by the Pierre Boulez Saal and the Kennedy Center, Tomeka Reid was invited to compose music in tribute to Duke Ellington in celebration of his 125th birthday. Tomeka is excited to bring this band back together for a performance in New Haven before recording the project for a future release.

Cellist and composer Tomeka Reid has emerged as one of the most original, versatile, and curious musicians in Chicago’s bustling jazz and improvised music community. A 2022 MacArthur and Herb Alpert awardee, 2021 USA Fellow, 2019 Foundation of the Arts and 2016 3Arts recipient, Reid received her doctorate in music from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2017. From 2019-2021 Tomeka Reid received a teaching appointment at Mills College as the Darius Milhaud chair in composition.

Photo by Ziga Koritnik