Click here to watch Duke Ellington – Reminiscing In Tempo Now

Filmmaker Gary Keys crafts a compelling tribute to late jazz icon Duke Ellington in this companion piece to Keys’ 1980 documentary Memories of Duke, which combines unseen clips captured during the famed pianist and bandleader’s 1968 Mexican tour with footage and interviews shot at sister Ruth Ellington’s annual birthday celebration. Though fans know well that the man known as Duke never celebrated his own birthday, ever since his death in 1974 sister Ruth has made up for lost time by hosting an annual gathering in which friends, family, and former bandmates all gather for a yearly birthday bull session. In addition to offering a closer look at the beloved jazz master, this lovingly-crafted documentary also features an original suite that was never commercially recorded.