In this sermon from our Artists Who Inspire series, Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter reflects on the life, legacy, and spiritual depth of jazz legend Duke Ellington. Born into a world of deep racial injustice, Ellington transformed tragedy into timeless music that expressed sorrow and hope, pain and joy, the sacred and the secular. Through works like Come Sunday and Black, Brown & Beige, he brought his faith to life with elegance, integrity, and profound humanity.
Rev. Kanter invites us to explore Ellington’s artistic journey, his commitment to racial justice, and his unique theology. In a time of so much suffering in our nation and world, Ellington’s story reminds us that beauty, faith, and resistance can coexist through the transformative power of music.
