Playback Saturday: “Such Sweet Thunder”

A deep listening experience in The Listening Room at Moonrays, 7 Denmark Street. Hosted by pianist, bandleader and former journalist Alex Webb, this intimate session invites you to sit back and listen closely to Such Sweet Thunder by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Released in 1957 this album is a masterpiece of orchestral American jazz, penned by The Duke and Strayhorn in 3 weeks flat following a trip to a Shakespeare festival in Canada. It blends big-band swing, blues, and classical orchestral composition, and showcases some of the world's greatest ever soloists who were in the band at the time, including Johnny Hodges and Clark Terry. The album will be played on vinyl through the Moonrays reference sound system. Along the way, Alex will share observations, stories and a musician’s perspective on the songs, arrangements and performances — revealing details you may never have heard before. One record. One room. Listen differently. This event is capped at just 12 people to ensure a very special experience.