"My right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head" — that was how jazz legend Duke Ellington described the composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn, who was born 100 years ago on Nov. 29.

Essentially Ellington once again brought the world’s best high school jazz musicians to New York. Over the last 30 years, the event has reshaped how jazz is taught. The atmosphere was festive at the ...

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