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 Duke Ellington. Edward
Kennedy "Duke" Ellington is one of the greatest and most influential
composers and musicians in jazz, if not in all of American music, and is
probably the best known leader of the big band era. Ellington used
his band as a musical laboratory for his new compositions and shaped his
writing specifically to showcase the talents of his band members, many of
whom remained with him for long periods.
Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D.C. He
began piano lessons at age 7 and developed a passion for music in his
early teens. He dropped out of high school to begin a career in
music. In 1917 he formed his first band and in 1923 moved to New
York. His band played a number of Club's in New York, to include
the Cotton Club. At the Cotton Club, the band was broadcast live
across the nation and their popularity began to spread.
Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere
from New York to New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London,
and entertained everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon.
Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of
musical compositions.
Some of Ellington’s great songs include "Rockin’ in Rhythm";
"Satin Doll"; "Take the 'A' Train"; "Ring Dem Bells";
"Stevedore Stomp"; "Jive Stomp"; "It
Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got that Swing)"; "Drop Me Off in Harlem";
"I Want to be a Rugcutter"; "In a Mellotone"; Do Nothing Till You Hear
From Me"; to mention just a few. |
