Jonathan Diggs Duke plays piano at the Art Association of Harrisburg.
Music is an art form unto itself, with jazz playing a special role in the world it encompasses. For a precious few, those born under a lucky star may be blessed with an extra gift or two.
Such was the case for multi-talented local musician, Jonathan Diggs Duke. Recently, he revealed, “I sang before I talked,” according to his parents. Blessed with a family who supported his unique way of communication, they encouraged their son to pursue music full-time. His dad was fully invested as an established artist in that field, and his mother loved music in all its forms. When one is surrounded in such an enlightened environment, magical things happen.
His father instructed him in the fine art of musical composition. Growing up in Baltimore, the young man witnessed streets full of impromptu performers—from song-and-dance men to women breaking out in performance art, all inspiring the artist. With a natural proclivity for music, Diggs Duke was shaped into a force to be reckoned with in his formative years.
As fate would have it, the trumpet was the one instrument readily available to play and, since the day he picked it up, the two have been inseparable. He’s equally skilled at the piano, playing classics articulated with his own musical interpretations. Duke Ellington tops his list of musical influences, and Felix Mendelssohn and modernist composer Charles Ives also hold cherished spots.
Three years ago, feeling the need to expand his musical reach, he moved to Allison Hill in Harrisburg and since has become a regular performer, “busking on trumpet” outside the Broad Street Market to crowds of listeners captivated by the sounds emanating from his horn. That journey started upon his arrival in Harrisburg, via the train depot on Market Street, playing to those new to the city or headed out to follow their dreams.
Diggs Duke, well accustomed to playing booked venues, cited “the excitement of playing in an uncontrolled environment, never knowing exactly what may take place in the moment.” Those moments become transcendent based on his connections and audience appreciation. He embraces the philosophy that art overcomes barriers of the everyday. With two recent albums under his belt, one with a nod to Scott Joplin’s ragtime tunes, Diggs Duke then switched gears to play and record ambient sounds, playing all instruments. He looks positively to the coming year with local nightspots on his “to do” list.
I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Jonathan at the piano during a reception last year at the Art Association of Harrisburg. Smooth is an oft-overused term in jazz circles, but Diggs Duke takes it to new heights. I tripped the light fantastic for the time he improvised at the keyboard, getting lost in the moment. I thought of Bobby Short, the epitome of grace and style, playing the piano at The Café Carlyle in New York. Witnessing and listening to a man of musical gifts beyond the ordinary, I believe that Jonathan Diggs Duke is fast becoming a Harrisburg treasure. Jazz impresario, man about town, and a true bon vivant, he has attracted a fervent following of fans.
When asked about his future and his role in the area, he waxed poetic on the spontaneity of busking to an ever-changing audience, as well as the impact it makes on kids who are amazed when they see and hear a trumpet for the first time. “The influence and opportunity to inspire a young person to dream, ‘that can be me someday’ and pursue a career in music” takes him full cycle to when he was a little boy at his father’s side.
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