Two hour-long sets performing at 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. Ellington Meets Ellington. Just like his namesake, jazz pulses through Ellington Carthan's veins. This up-and-coming jazz pianist's diverse career includes teaching, composing, producing, and performing at prestigious venues from the Kennedy Center to the Library of Congress. Born in California and raised in North Carolina before moving to DC to pursue his studies in Jazz at Howard University, Carthan attributes his bicoastal upbringing to his versatility as a musician. Like his mentor, celebrated pianist Cyrus Chestnut, the DC native enjoys mixing genres and paying tribute to the Duke while introducing himself and his musical talent that has been cultivated throughout the DC metropolitan region.

Ellington is an alumnus of the Strathmore's Artist-in-Residence program and will be performing at the Anacostia Jazz Festival on September 2, 2022. His debut album is titled "Ellington Live Vol. 1" and is available for digital purchase everywhere. This is his second time performing at Blues Alley Jazz.