Royals Queen Elizabeth's Surprise Passion for Jazz — and Duke Ellington — Revealed! "Ellington came up, and her appreciation of music and instruments and how they're amplified just floored me for about a minute," British jazz musician Gary Crosby said of his conversation with the Queen By Simon Perry Simon Perry Simon Perry is a writer and correspondent at PEOPLE. He has more than 25 years’ experience at PEOPLE covering the royals, human interest and celebrity. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 26, 2022 04:17PM EDT Photo: Paul Hackett - WPA Pool/Getty; Getty Queen Elizabeth is a blues and jazz fan — and American jazz legend Duke Ellington appears to be on her playlist! The monarch, 96, made British jazz musician Gary Crosby "so happy" with her unique interest in the musical genres, he revealed on BBC Radio Two's Blues Show on Monday evening. Crosby also told the show's host Cerys Matthews of his joy at receiving the Queen's Medal for Music in 2019. The double-bass player was the first jazz player to be given the award, which he received from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. When Matthews asked him if the Queen likes the blues, Crosby immediately said, "Duke Ellington." "Ellington came up, and her appreciation of music and instruments and how they're amplified just floored me for about a minute," he added. "I just sat there and, 'Is this for real? The Queen is speaking to me about re-amplification of acoustic string instruments.' " What's Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Song? Check Out the Monarch's Surprising Playlist! DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP via Getty He recalled how they spoke about the difficulty of understanding how 60,000 people could be sitting in a field with giant speakers trying to listen to acoustic instruments being re-amplified. " 'It's never going to sound the same is it?' " the Queen asked Crosby, who recalled of the moment, "So I've got to answer now, and I'm just like, 'Really, the Queen?' I felt so happy." Crosby's 2019 audience with the Queen marked the second time he had met the monarch. She also awarded the celebrated band leader, music arranger and educator with an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! When Matthews suggested that the Queen should have gone to Woodstock, Crosby said: "Or maybe not. She didn't want to go to Woodstock. I think she's into acoustic instruments by the sound of it. It's the vibrations." Crosby was honored with the Queen's Medal in July 2019 for his musical talent, his impact on jazz creation in the U.K. and his work supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Queen's friends and family previously revealed that showtunes, big band sounds, songs from the WWII era and hymns are also among the monarch's favorite genres of music.