Radio presenter Nigel Vermaas will pay tribute to legendary jazz musician Duke Ellington in SAfm’s The Inner Ear tomorrow (October 20) evening at 20h00, with a repeat broadcast on Sunday (October 24) at 09h30. Featured in this programme will be Such Sweet Thunder, a work inspired by the works of Shakespeare. Nigel Vermaas will present a second tribute to Duke Ellington on October 27 (repeated on October 31) titled Music was his Mistress which includes opinions from South African musicians.

Duke Ellington, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize posthumously in this, his centenary year, made wonderful stylish and sophisticated music for six decades. A pianist, composer, band-leader and orchestrator, he composed many famous tunes such as Mood Indigo, Caravan, Sophisticated Lady, Solitude and Don’t Get Around Much Any More.