Ellie Rui 瑞: A Tribute to Jabali

Ellie Rui 瑞: A Tribute to Jabali

Date: Sunday, November 29th, 2026

Doors: 6:00PM to Venue | 6:30PM to Sanctuary

Showtime: 7:00PM

Tickets:

Early Bird - $15 (+$4.57 fees, including tax)

General Admission - $20 (+$4.72 fees, including tax)

‘Service charges apply to ALL ticket purchases (online and box office)’ - Credit card only at door

About:

Ellie Rui 瑞 presents: “A Tribute to Jabali (Billy Hart)”. Ellie Rui 瑞 is a Chicago-based Jazz drummer from Columbus, Ohio. She moved to Chicago, IL after graduating from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the Spring of 2024 with a degree in Jazz studies and a minor in African-American Music. Ellie’s most recent project was releasing her debut album: “DayDreams Are Encouraged” this past May (2026). At Oberlin, Ellie studied with NEA Jazz Master, Billy Hart.

Ellie Rui 瑞 and Aidan Marco, Oberlin Jazz pianist ’25 and long time friend of Ellie’s, have been working very hard the past few months to bring “A Tribute to Jabali (Billy Hart)” to life. After a phone call with Billy Hart and Ethan Iverson, Billy’s pianist and memoirist, and reading Billy’s memoire “Oceans of Time”, Ellie and Aidan have compiled a set list of 5 of Billy’s most influential and career changing pieces.

Billy Hart is known for his ground breaking multidirectional drumming style, featured on records such as “The Creator Has a Master Plan” by Pharoah Saunders and for his time playing with Jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock. The show also features composers: Shirley Horn, Zbigniew Seifert, and Buck Hill (all important peers/mentors to Billy). In preparation for this concert the Ellie Rui 瑞 ensemble will be attempting to play these pieces as true to the record as they can. They want to do their best to pay tribute to Billy Hart and his sound. This show is not only a tribute written by Ellie Rui 瑞 to her drum teacher, but also a celebration of the career of a living Jazz legend.