The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) opened a two-night stand in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center to a very welcoming, sold-out audience Tuesday night. Their fans were well rewarded. Founder Alvin Ailey created the company in 1958. The touring company now consists of 30 highly skilled and well-trained dancers. The first dance of the program was “Night Creature,” which premiered in 1974. Ailey choreographed the dance to the music of Duke Ellington. Barbara Forbes recreated Jane Greenwood’s original costuming. The women wear simple dresses, like they might have worn to help keep cool for a night at the club before the days of air conditioning. The men wear hand-dyed stretch fab

What is it about walking into a jazz club that elicits an immediate sense of cool? Harlow’s transformed its nightclub into a swanky jazz club on Saturday night for “An Evening With Duke Ellington.” Onstage was The Vivian Lee Quintet paying tribute to the great jazz musician by playing several of his classic songs. The quintet is composed of lead vocalist Vivian Lee, Ron Foggia on piano, Paul Klempau on bass, Jeff Minneweather on snare drum and joining them for this special night on saxophone was Joe Berry. The snare drummer beat the drum in triple time. The saxophonist made the instrument talk — mastering scales and riffs. The bass player plucked the strings with precision. The pianist

This weekend, the Sacramento Master Singers will perform excerpts from Duke Ellington's "Sacred Concerts." It marks several important homecomings. It will be a homecoming for the Grammy-winning piece, which was played by Ellington and his legendary orchestra in 1965 at Sacramento's Westminster Presbyterian Church. Friday through Sunday, it will be played at the Crest Theater, less than half a mile from the church. It will also be a homecoming for Ardie Bryant, the "Ambassador of Tap," who spent his early years in Sacramento and graduated from Sacramento High School. Saturday, the legendary bebop jazz tap dancer, who has danced with everyone from Ellington to Count Basie, Charlie Parker a