Zajj travels out into the world seeking fame and sophistication and melds with the influences of cultures she weaves through the story, which gives a brief history of the rise of jazz and bebop.

A stage performance was produced by Marc Stager June 24, 1988, at Symphony Space in New York City with pianist and arranger Chris Cherney leading the orchestra and Duke's son Mercer Ellington narrating.

"The New York Times reviewer John S. Wilson commented on the 1988 performance: Unlike other extended Ellington works, which are primarily if not entirely instrumental, "A Drum Is a Woman" is developed through songs and a narration with only occasional full orchestral passages.

Luke Dogen's Carabea [sic] Joe was a genial, good-time companion with a strong inner core that emerged in a positively stated love song, "You Better Know It.

"[7]The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2 stars and stated: "Dominated by vocals and narration, the music often plays a backseat to the story, which is worth hearing twice at the most".