my daddy said, you want to check duke ellington out?ike, man, i want to see the raiders game on tv. i looked at it on a very small black and white tv with a hanger in it. oh, it was a bad choice, but that's why you don't let 11-year-olds decide. they'll complain, but at least they don't have to say, i didn't see duke ellington. i don't remember who won the game. i can't make up any good lies about it. ♪ >> the real horn part from the '70s that everybody played all the time, line, in a challenge was "sir duke." because it's in the key of b. so, that's not a key that you want to mess with. ♪ we played big dances at this department store. it would be three bands set up and we would play until 2:00 in the morning and the bands would battle. i played that song every night, and, you know, i really didn't know it was about duke ellington. he was giving an homage to duke ellington. i can't speak for none of the other guys. maybe they knew. maybe i was the only one that was out of it. ♪ >> what i really loved from miles was, "kind of blue," ever

we have a link to duke ellington school of the arts.want to come out and see a special production of dream girls. it keeps getting better. coming up in the next hour, we'll have another production number and then we'll talk with the head of the school about what a difference this production is making in the school here. and we have more fox 5 morning news coming up live after the break. stay with us. >>> a virginia man under arrest, accused of threatening to blow up metro trains. but that's not the only thing he targeted. we're live with details -- more details. >>> and then a robbery at the belagio in las vegas. the thief got away with more than a million dollars in chips and police believe this wasn't his first time. >> we may see snow tomorrow and maybe some on sunday. montgomery county rolled out the new snowplow tracking system just in time. we'll show you how this will help you get around during the winter weather. >>> good morning. i'm steve chenevey. >> and i'm allison seymour. and before we get to the weather. we begin with an

and i know it's not duke ellington school of the arts, is it? >> reporter: no. dukeeling school of the arts, not the performing arts. >> good. want to be clear. >> reporter: it's the visual arts and all of that. and allison, you put the idea in my head earlier when you called me a dream girl, girl, i am a dream girl. and you're going to love me. you and you and you, you're going to love me. so i can't sing but i can dress the part. and actually, this is the actual dress that jennifer holiday wore last week when she we are formed with the cast. she originated the role. she won a tony for her role when she played on dream girls on broadway. and this is nothing short of a professional cast when you come out to duke ellington school of the arts. so without further ado i want to introduce you to rond lee newman and nicole reynolds who are part of the performance. why are you laugh something. >> because we could easily get you on stage. >> reporter: and they would keep my mic down. but we have been talking about the whole school coming together all morning. the techni

. >> i was torn to be on a show with " the duke ellington, and that was me. with all those great stars. >> the only thing that was on five days a week, 26 years was you. >> the golden girl. >> i would not say that my life is exciting but is not bend dull. >> i love the sun, it was the premier spark a genius. memo i am not an easy guy to work for because i am the boss but i do not expect any more from my players and i'm willing to do, myself. >> and i represent this land, the people that love of alaska. >> and as soon as i saw this i said that is for me. >> and yvonne had a job in the movies, to leave it to beaver. and she was a great woman, and she was a state home, grandmother. >> and my routine was to get up early, and >> sometimes the treatment will keep you down. >> if you'd like to begin the year with a movie. here is a preview. >> this week's films open in limited release. with michelle williams, running gusting play a couple tried to find and send their love. --ryan gosling >> and it is already been nominated with several golden globes. and blue valent

. >> they are playing dreamgirls at the duke ellington school of the arts this weekend. >> this morningrris is at the school to learn about the big production. we'll check in with her in just a minute. >>> good morning, everybody. i'm holly morris. and on this wednesday we are living the dream on many different levels as we are live this morning at the duke ellington school of performing arts. if you can hear, it's already a bevy of activity here and we're on stage because the kids are getting in an early morning rehearsal for their production of dream girls. this is no small production. all 515 students have somehow taken part in putting this production together. and it's not just about the end of the year grand finale. this school is facing a budget shortfall, like many schools are. [ lost connection ] >>> that does it for the 6:00 hour. allison is in now joining steve. good morning. >> good morning. thank you, gurvir. >>> the holiday push is on on capitoll.

duke ellington, why does he put the person on second tenor sax?rchestration and arranging was just part of my soul all my life. >tavis: how aggressive are you impressing that message to all of these young folk, that you have to get outside of your comfort zone and learn at all? expose yourself to all of it? >> we have had a hard time. but now we have to organize it and really have an organized basis. a lot of people, david baker, herbie hancock, all the universities. all of these musicians are putting together a curriculum. we are the only country in the world that does not have a minister of culture, the only country, and the most loved music on the planet. everywhere i go in the world, we hear it. tavis: what do you make of the fact we do not have a minister of culture and everybody else in the world does? >> i don't know. i have a clue, but i will say that later when we get the curriculum going. we have had four meetings and it has almost multiplied every time we have had a meeting. it is going to happen. the real thing about how this music cam

not worry about the color of their skin and that in turn proved to the wonderful jazz giants, duke ellington, sammy davis jr. who was an entertainer that sugar ray's was the place to be in harlem. i went on a book tour, and i'm going to tell you about two things that happened that stand out a great deal and made me know that the five years i spent on this book were well worth it. i was interviewing somebody, and they said, you have to go find mel dick, and i said, who is mel dick? this person said, well, mel dick knew sugar ray robinson for many, many, many years, for more than 35 years. he's someplace in florida, and you must find mel dick. it's going to add a lot to the story you're trying to tell. i was able to track mel dick down in miami, florida, and this is mel dick's story. when he was 8 years old he lived in brooklyn new york, played hook ky from school, went into new york city to a gym, steelman's gym where sugar ray robinson happened to be sparring. now, mel dick is white, and he told me to story when i found him, and he was the lone white kid in the gym that day just sitting in t

heck, we give royal names only to guys like duke ellington and count basie. that's the secret-- and the noble rhythm of america. i'm todd buchholz. >> tom: from noble rhythms to a little night music. for many people, that involves buying pricey tickets from a box office. but that's not always the case. some nonprofits work to make arts and culture affordable to everyone. the groups rely on donations to stay afloat, and as you might imagine, those gifts are harder to come by in this economy. >> it's kind of immeasurable, because not only do we get to do what we do, but people that wouldn't ordinarily get to experience it get to experience it. >> reporter: that's michael noonan, a musician with united jazz ensemble. he's at a middle school in suburban maryland bringing jazz to students who might never have had the chance to experience a live show. >> we have a special focus on bringing arts programs into those communities that don't otherwise have access. >> reporter: joan burns is the executive director of the nonprofit group class acts arts. it brings artists

you know, i always when people ask me like what is my most favorite song, i quote duke ellington whendifferent songs for different occasion, the "my cherie amour," "i just called to say i love you," a vision for a different day. i think that the blessing is that i have been able to writ songs that have created so men different emotions at different times that i can connect to. >> you remember -- like "i just called to say i love you," where the inspiration came from? >> i think the idea of the story came from the spirit of how love is for something that's for all seasons, whether that be a holiday, not a holiday or just being able to express that place any time. love is always something that can be expressed, and then for years i just had the -- ♪ ♪ i just called to say i love you ♪ ♪ i just called to say how much i care ♪ >> larry: does the lyric come to you right away, too? >> well, the lyric for that came from me having some words already and then putting them together in a way that worked good for the film and equally as important for the song. >> larry: did you know it was going

hear what their take on that message, joined by sarah and the duke ellington school of the art show choirers and applause] > ♪ so this is christmas what have you done? another year over a new one just begun so this is christmas hope you had fun the near and dear ones old and the young have a very merry christmas and happy new year let's hope it is a good one without any fear so this is christmas for week and for strong for rich and for poor ones the road is so long and very happy christmas for black and four white for yellow and red ones let's stop all the fight a very merry christmas and a happy new year let's hope it is a good one without any fear war is over if you what it war is over now war is over if you want it war is over now war is over if you want it war is over now ♪ [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. whoo! [laughter] >> 1, 2, 3, 4! >> ♪ sleigh bells rang are you listening? and in the lane and snow is glistening a beautiful sight, happy tonight walking in a winter wonderland gone away is the bluebird here to stay is a new bird sing a song as we

you know, i always, when people ask me like what is my most favorite song, i quote duke ellington, whenferent occasions. there's "my cherie amour," of course. there's "as" for a certain day. you know, "i just called to say i love you" for a certain day. happy -- i mean, certain songs. "a vision" for a certain day. so i think the blessing is that i have been able to write songs that have created so many different emotions at different times that i can connect to. >> larry: do you remember where the -- like "i just called to say i love you." where the inspiration came from? >> i think the idea of the story came from really the -- the spirit of, you know, how love is something that's for all seasons, whether that be a holiday or not a holiday or just being able to express that place anytime. love is always something that can be expressed. and then for years i just had the -- ♪ da, da, da, da ♪ da, da, da, da ♪ da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da da ♪ ♪ da, da, da, da ♪ da, da, da, da ♪ da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ i just called to say i love you ♪ ♪ i just called to say how much i care ♪ >> larry:

getting to watch the duke ellington's pruction of dream girl was one of the holiday treats several of our wednesday's kids got to enjoy. all thanks to aroject dreamed up by arts activist tracy jenkins. >> each year we try to find an opportunity to serve children who are eat in foster care program or adoption agencies. >> reporter: her foundation art creates life came up with a project she call dreamcatchers. and in the duke elgto school of the arts graduate herself, she got ellington's staff, graduates and friends to join in including a former classmate. now meet the brown star lehman zucker will. >> we go to help people who are activists. >> reporter: our wednesday eights children know something about having a dream. are you a dream girl? >> yeah. >> reporter: tell me about your dream. >> my dream is to get an adoption family and to be able to meet mr. bieber. >> reporter: what do you dream about? >> to be a basketball prayer, a basketball player. >> rock roads. when i came to you at six ags, we talked and i kept going. >> reporter: and while many of our kids are still waiting and ho

hear what their take on that message, joined by sarah and the duke ellington school of the art show choirtmas what have you done? another year over a new one just begun so this is christmas hope you had fun the near and dear ones old and the young have a very merry christmas and happy new year let's hope it is a good one without any fear so this is christmas for week and for strong for rich and for poor ones the road is so long and very happy christmas for black and four white for yellow and red ones let's stop all the fight a very merry christmas and a happy new year let's hope it is a good one without any fear war is over if you what it war is over now war is over if you want it war is over now war is over if you want it war is over now ♪ [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. whoo! [laughter] >> 1, 2, 3, 4! >> ♪ sleigh bells rang are you listening? and in the lane and snow is glistening a beautiful sight, happy tonight walking in a winter wonderland gone away is the bluebird here to stay is a new bird sing a song as we go along at walking in a winter wonder