The Novel Jazz Septet featured its youngest member, saxophonist David Harris, 26, in its Ellington/Strayhorn Program at St. Andrews Village on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Harris recently graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine. While living in Portland, he led his own jazz group, the David Harris Quartet. He joined the Novel Jazz Septet recently and is featured for several solos in the newest rendition of the Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn Program that has toured the Northeast the last several summers.

Band leader Barney Balch often wondered how many jazz songs the Ellington/Strayhorn duo arranged and composed. “It is more than 3,000,” he told about 70 residents gathered for the afternoon concert. For several years, Balch has researched the massive collection at the Smithsonian Museum Archives in Washington, D.C. From the collection, he finds the songs that can be adapted for the septet.

“The septet was Duke’s favorite small band besides his 18-piece band,”  said Balch.

The septet is composed of Mickey Felder (piano), Bill Manning (drums), Herb Maine (bass), Dave Clarke (guitar), Mike Mitchell (trumpet), Balch (trombone), and and Harris (saxophones).

St. Andrews Village Marketing Manager Bob Drury said regular programs are presented to residents but the septet was a special monthly event with the public invited.