Novel Jazz returns to the Skidompha Public Library atrium in Damariscotta on Friday, August 10 at 7 p.m. for some “jazz on a summer’s eve.” The band will be featuring music of the iconic Duke Ellington and his equally iconic musical collaborator, Billy Strayhorn.

Novel Jazz is a Maine-based group, now in their 14th season of concerts around Maine and New England. Their mission is to share the music and stories of these two giants of jazz who wrote some 3,000 compositions over their musical careers, two percent of which represents the well-known standards and 98 percent of which most have never heard.

The band features Barney Balch (trombone), Michael Mitchell (trumpet), David Harris (reeds), Herb Maine (Bass), Bill Manning (drums), Dave Clarke (guitar) and Mickey Felder (piano).

They’ll perform standard tunes from the Ellington/Strayhorn repertoire plus newly arranged compositions that they have unearthed in the Ellington Archives of the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington D.C., some of which have not been heard in decades. The band has rearranged these pieces for the septet, dusted them off and given them a 21st century sound all of their own.

Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 years and older, $7 for young adults 12-18, under 12 accompanied by a parent go free. We encourage parents to bring their children, the future of this art form.

The library is located at 184 Main St. in downtown Damariscotta. Call the library at 207-563-5513 or visit www.skidompha.org. For more on the band, visit www.mainejazz.net