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Duke Ellington

By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world’s greatest composers and musicians. The French government honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor, while the government of the United States bestowed upon him the highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He played for the royalty and for the common people and by the end of his 50-year career, he had played over 20,000 performances worldwide. He was The Duke, Duke Ellington.

Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the world on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke’s parents, Daisy Kennedy Ellington and James Edward Ellington, served as ideal role models for young Duke, and taught him everything from proper table manners to an understanding of the emotional power of music. Duke’s first piano lessons came around the age of seven or eight and appeared not to have had that much lasting effect upon him. It seemed as if young Duke was more inclined to baseball at a young age.

Duke got his first job selling peanuts at Washington Senator’s baseball games. This was the first time Duke was placed as a "performer" for a crowd and had to first get over his stage fright. At the age of 14, Duke began sneaking into Frank Holliday’s poolroom. His experiences from the poolroom taught him to appreciate the value in mixing with a wide range of people.

As Duke’s piano lessons faded into the past, Duke began to show a flare for the artistic. Duke attended Armstrong Manual Training School to study commercial art instead of going to an academics-oriented school. Duke began to seek out and listen to ragtime pianists in Washington and, during the summers, in Philadelphia or Atlantic City, where he and his mother vacationed .

While vacationing in Asbury Park, Duke heard of a hot pianist named Harvey Brooks. At the end of his vacation, Duke sought Harvey out in Philadelphia where Harvey showed Duke some pianistic tricks and shortcuts. Duke later recounted that, "When I got home I had a real yearning to play. I hadn’t been able to get off the ground before, but after hearing him I said to myself, ‘Man you’re going to have to do it.’" Thus the music career of Duke Ellington was born.

Duke was taken under the wings of Oliver "Doc" Perry and Louis Brown, who taught Duke how to read music and helped improve his overall piano playing skills. Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout the Washington area. Three months shy of graduation, Duke dropped out of school and began his professional music career.

In late 1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke’s Serenaders. Between 1918 and 1919, Duke made three significant steps towards independence. First, he moved out of his parents’ home and into a home he bought for himself. Second, Duke became his own booking agent for his band. By doing so, Ellington’s band was able to play throughout the Washington area and into Virginia for private society balls and embassy parties. Finally, Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 11, 1919, Mercer Kennedy Ellington was born.

In 1923, Duke left the security that Washington offered him and moved to New York. Through the power of radio, listeners throughout New York had heard of Duke Ellington, making him quite a popular musician. It was also in that year that Duke made his first recording. Ellington and his renamed band, The Washingtonians, established themselves during the prohibition era by playing at places like the Exclusive Club, Connie’s Inn, the Hollywood Club (Club Kentucky), Ciro’s, the Plantation Club, and most importantly the Cotton Club. Thanks to the rise in radio receivers and the industry itself, Duke’s band was broadcast across the nation live on "From the Cotton Club." The band’s music, along with their popularity, spread rapidly.

In 1928, Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which Mills produced and published Ellington’s music. Recording companies like Brunswick, Columbia, and Victor came calling. Duke’s band became the most sought-after band in the United States and even throughout the world.

Some of Ellington’s greatest works include "Rockin’ in Rhythm," "Satin Doll," "New Orleans," "A Drum is a Women," "Take the 'A' Train," "Happy-Go-Lucky Local," "The Mooche," and "Crescendo in Blue."

Duke Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. Ellington and his band played with such greats as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Louis Armstrong. They entertained everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon. Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions, all of which will continue to have a lasting effect upon people worldwide for a long time to come.

The Jazz legend, Ellington become the first black American to be prominently featured on a U.S. coin in circulation with the release of a quarter honoring the District of Columbia.

U.S. Mint and D.C. officials celebrated the release of the coin February 2009, during a ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

“Like many great Americans who succeed in what they love doing, Duke Ellington was equal parts talent, hard work, passion and perseverance," U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy said.

The coin with Ellington resting his elbow on a piano was officially released Jan. 26,2009 but officials took time February to hand out some of the “mint condition" quarters to D.C. schoolchildren. Show less

Duke Ellington: Isfahan

by Ian Patterson
April 22, 2024

Part of Duke Ellington's Far East Suite (1967), “Isfahan" took its inspiration from a visit to the city of Isfahan, Iran, in 1963. Of the ancient city Ellington wrote: “everything is poetry," a sentiment transferred beautifully to this most moving of Strayhorn/Ellington compositions. Curious too, to see Ellington holding the sheet music for soloist Johnny Hodges. The same tour also took the Duke Ellington Orchestra to Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, among other stops. Will such an itinerary ever ...

Top Ten List

Duke Ellington's Top Ten Albums

by DIG 9000
July 29, 2023

Duke Ellington, the legendary jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader, released numerous albums throughout his illustrious career. It's challenging to narrow down his extensive discography to just ten, but here are some essential Duke Ellington albums that showcase his incredible talent and contribution to jazz: Ellington at Newport Columbia Records 1956 This live album is one of Ellington's most famous and significant recordings, featuring the iconic performance of “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" with an ...

Book Excerpts

Jazz Lines: Free Verse In The Key Of Jazz

by Gloria Krolak
June 11, 2023

Duke Ellington, composer, arranger, pianist and originator of big-band jazz, wrote “Sweet Jazz O'Mine" in 1930 when the genre was blooming. As a bandleader, Ellington was unsurpassed. He chose his musicians wisely and inspired some of their best work. “Sweet Jazz" is a lively foxtrot celebrating this unorthodox new style that had people dancing and feeling good. What became my poem is a collection of songs about the instruments that make up the whole, the drums, the trombone, the clarinet, ...

Jazz in Long Form

From Chart to Reality: The Editorial Role of the Pianist in a Big Band

by Kurt Ellenberger
March 28, 2023

Note: This article was first published in the Jazz Education Journal in 2005, and was revised for All About Jazz. Preamble This article was written to address an issue that needed clarification, and indeed still needs clarification almost 20 years later, regarding the vagaries inherent in many of the published big band piano charts in use at hundreds of colleges and high schools. The professional jazz pianist will treat the written part with a great deal of freedom, ...

Top Ten List

Jazz For The Serious Connoisseur

by Phillip A. Haynes
March 1, 2023

In tackling this top ten list for serious students of jazz, the focus was on works that shocked and intrigued upon first and successive listens, striving to understand their meaning, materials, historical context, and influence on contemporary improvisation. “Blackbird" (1980) by Bobby McFerrin, The Voice (Elektra, 1984) When released, McFerrin's astounding virtuosity represented the first revolution in scat since Ella Fitzgerald. His entertaining and breathtaking “man chorale" approach utilizes rapidly juxtaposed tessituras, changeable vocal characters, integrated ...

Radio & Podcasts

21 to 40

by Patrick Burnette
October 13, 2022

Two fifty is as good an artificial milestone as any, so the boys decide it's time for a GOAT episode. First they wrestle a top-twenty artist list into shape, arguing that there's so much consensus out there little work remains to be done and still taking an hour doing it. Then it's on to the tricky bit—picking out 21 through 40. Totems will get tumbled, weird choices will get made, and hearts will get broken. Mostly Mike's. No pop matters ...

Radio & Podcasts

Large Jazz Ensembles, Past And Present

by Jerome Wilson
July 1, 2022

This show on jazz orchestras and big bands begins and ends with Duke Ellington. In between, it includes Michael Gibbs, Count Basie, the Either/Orchestra, Chico O'Farrill, George Russell and several others. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Duke Ellington “Moon Over Cuba" from 1941 (Classics) 01:03 Chico O'Farrill “Havana Blues" from Carambola (Milestone) 4:12 Antonio Adolfo “Milestones" from Encontros ...

Video / DVD

Duke Ellington at Grinnell College, 1957

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 30, 2024

On January 10, 1957, during a snowy Thursday evening, the Duke Ellington Orchestra played a concert at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. The performance was taped by the school with sophisticated gear, and the subsequent LP was released in limited supply. As a result, it has always been a highly sought-after album. Last week, Carl Woideck emailed with news that all the tracks were up on YouTube. Which is great to hear, since copies of vinyl copies very hard to ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Duke Ellington

Source: Michael Ricci
April 29, 2023

All About Jazz is celebrating Duke Ellington's birthday today!

Event

The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra Performs Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite" at the Dunbar Hotel on December 9th

Source: David W Payne
December 3, 2022

Following their hugely successful SOLD OUT concert at Catalina's in Hollywood last month, The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra are performing Duke Ellington's “Nutcracker Suite" at the historic Dunbar Hotel on Central Avenue. Michael Ellington, the Duke's great grand nephew, will be hosting the event. The Honorable Jan Perry, the Councilwoman responsible for the recent renovation of The Dunbar will also be in attendance. The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra (HJO) are going into the Recording Studio at the end of March. LAJO have ...
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Event

The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra Perform Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite At The Dunbar On December 9

Source: David W Payne
November 15, 2022

The Honorable Jan Perry, who recently ran for Congress in November, has arranged for The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra to perform Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite at the historic The Dunbar Hotel on Central Avenue, Los Angeles on December 9th, During the 1930's and 1940's The Dunbar Hotel hosted many prominent Musicians traveling to perform in Los Angeles, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and Paul Robeson. (All Ghosts are welcome). Jan Perry, ...
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Video / DVD

Count, Duke, Stan, Harry, Gerald and Tubby in '65

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
May 25, 2022

Thought to be over and done in 1965, big bands staged a comeback. Most of their acclaim came on tours in Europe and and on TV, but the truth is that bands led by top names were undergoing a renaissance. With their kids in college or out of the house and rock starting to dominate, many older listeners in the U.S. began paying attention again to artists who had shaped their youth. Abroad, a generation of young adults marveled at ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Duke Ellington

Source: Michael Ricci
April 29, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Duke Ellington's birthday today!

Performance / Tour

The joy and legacy of the Duke Ellington songbook

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
January 12, 2022

Duke Ellington's impact on jazz seems beyond measure, no matter how you count it. He wrote, co-wrote or took credit for writing more than 1,000 compositions over a 50-year span. According to one family bio, it was more than 3,000 songs. The numbers really don't matter as much as the imprint Duke left on the music. That's what the Dan Miller-Lew Del Gatto sextet celebrated in their Charlotte County Jazz Society concert appearance on Monday, January 10. They dug into ...
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Video / DVD

Duke Ellington: Berlin 1959

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 10, 2021

After my post last week on 16 jazz geniuses, I predictably received a flood of emails asking why Duke Ellington was missing from my list. As I explained, while Duke was exceptional, his piano didn't change the direction of jazz nor did a school emerge that emulated his approach. But the emails did give me pause. Perhaps Duke's influence was more subliminal, I thought. That's when it came to me. Ellington's genius was beauty and greater artistic self-worth. Prior to ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Duke Ellington

Source: Michael Ricci
April 29, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Duke Ellington's birthday today!

Video / DVD

Videos: Three Ellington Reeds

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 28, 2020

Duke Ellington was a tonal impressionist. Each musician in his band had two functions—to be able to play and to have a special sound. Taken as a whole, his orchestral pieces were like canvases, with different hues layered on top of each other. Here are three of Ellington's top saxophonists on solo showcases, providing an opportunity to hear their distinct sounds isolated: Here's Ben Webster on Chelsea Bridge... Here's Harry Carney on Sophisticated Lady... And here's Johnny Hodges on I ...
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