Robert Graham’s tribute to Duke Ellington is relatively new, having been installed at the north end of Central Park in 1997. But it took nearly two decades to get an homage to the jazz giant up, with pianist Bobby Short pioneering the effort back in 1979. Now, the statue—featuring Ellington and his piano being held up by the Nine Muses, sits in the middle of Duke Ellington Circle, surrounded by an amphitheater for musical performances.
The Duke Ellington Memorial is located at 110th Street and Fifth Avenue in East Harlem.
