Planet D Nonet

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The PD9 performs Harlem Jive by Fats Waller, swing era tunes by Duke Ellington, Benny Moten, Count Basie and Fletcher Henderson as well as the jumpin' jive of Louis Jordan. Cofounded by RJ Spangler & James O'Donnell in 2007, this band is about to celebrate 15 years of bringing swing music to SE Michigan listeners and swing dancers. In that time the band has performed in 10 states including some memorable gigs in New Orleans. In addition to the vocals of trumpeter James O'Donnell, the band also features the vocals of trombonist John "Tbone" Paxton and often featured artist Camille Price.

saxophones: Alex Colista, Christopher Tabaczynski & Goode Wyche III, brass: James O'Donnell, Charlie Miller & Tbone Paxton, rhythm: Michael Zaporski, Trevor Lamb, Sean Perlmutter & RJ Spangler

Planet D Nonet: Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2

Read "Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
September 30, 2024

Operating on the time-honored principle that one successful tribute deserves another, the Detroit-based Planet D Nonet has recorded Echoes of Harlem, Vol. 2, an homage to the great Duke Ellington and follow-up to the ensemble's well-received album from 2023, Blues to Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington. Each of the studio session's fifteen selections was written by Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn, and the ensemble does its best Ellington impression interpreting them, even replicating the distinctive rhythmic, ...