Teddie Wilson and Doug Duke play a set. 

Hamp’s band rocks the Music Room. 

Marion McPartland and Linc Milliman record live. 

Clark Terry and Doug Duke have fun. 

Toots Thielemans plays a set with Jimmy DeWitt and Doug Duke. 

Bobby Hackett and Doug Duke entertain the room. 

Charlie Byrd plays a set with Doug Duke. 

Ray Nance gets Doug Duke to play a rousing march. 

Mat Mathews is in a sentimental mood with Doug Duke. 

Coleman Hawkins plays a melancholy sax with Doug Duke. 

We hope you will linger here for a while and enjoy a relaxing visit with Doug Duke and the many great jazz artists who played in his room. We invite you to pour a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy all this website has to offer.

This page is designed to recreate the wonderful ambiance of Doug Duke’s “Music Room.” Duke’s Place sat on the corner of Lake Avenue and Latta Road in the part of Rochester, NY, known as Charlotte. His 4449 Lake Avenue address was located just 4 tenths of a mile from the shores of Lake Ontario. Doug liked to call his place “The Music Room” and Doug’s “Music Room” became legendary for the many world-class artists who appeared there.

Voice Of The Philharmaonic
Photo by Lou Ouzer

He was the “Voice of the Rochester Philharmonic” for many years; writing, producing, and narrating for radio and live concerts from the stage of the beautiful Eastman Theater. His green room interviews with such world-renowned artists as Leopold Stokowski, Alec Wilder, Eric Leinsdorf and his good friend, Fred Fennell, to name a few, complemented their live performances. 

On Air 1968

On three occasions, the Eastman School of Music turned to him for scripts, narration, and acting in their annual Arranger’s Holiday, performed at the Eastman Theatre. Walter was also a member of the Renaissance-performing group Ars Antiqua, a two-year side adventure that he thoroughly enjoyed. He covered the Formula One races at Watkins Glen, interviewing racing greats such as Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. While at WHAM, he served as assistant program director, producer, and sales