Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. In his last decade, Ellington composed three pieces of sacred music – In the Beginning God , Second Sacred Concert, and Third Sacred Concert. Duke Ellington's Early Years At age 15, Ellington worked at a soda fountain and wrote his first song, "Soda Fountain Rag." Duke Ellington's original 14-member band included such musicians as cornetist Rex Stewart, trombonist Lawrence Brown, baritone saxophonist Harry Carney, and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges. An elegant man, Ellington maintained a regal manner as he led the band and charmed audiences with his suave humour. He was a very popular musician and poet. No one led a band like Duke Ellington, no one led a life like Duke Ellington, and no one wrote music like Duke Ellington: he was one of a kind, beyond category. In the case of Ellington’s Orchestra, radio exposure helped maintain popularity and his orchestra began to tour. It was, however, renamed as Duke Ellington Bridge in 1974. With the Great Depression worsening, the recording industry too was hit by the financial crisis and that resulted into dropping of over 90% of artists by the year 1933. His ... A Portrait of Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo. At the age of seven, he began studying the piano. His gift of melody and his mastery of sonic textures, rhythms, and compositional forms translated his often subtle, often complex perceptions into a body of music unequaled in jazz history. Ellington died on May 24, 1974, due to pneumonia and lung cancer. ISBN 978-0-330-36732-5. James liked to play the operatic arias. Duke Ellington: Biography. He helped compose more than 1,000 original pieces, many of which became standards. After the Second World War, his band often toured Europe and also played in Asia, West Africa, South America and Australia, besides frequently touring North America. Ellington kept his band's sound fresh, transcending the different eras of jazz. Duke Ellington's Early Years Duke Ellington was born in Washington D.C., and from an early age he loved music. Extended residencies at the Cotton Club in Harlem (1927–32, 1937–38) stimulated Ellington to enlarge his band to 14 musicians and to expand his compositional scope. Not limiting himself to jazz innovation, Ellington also wrote such great popular songs as “Sophisticated Lady,” “Rocks in My Bed,” and “Satin Doll;” in other songs, such as “Don’t Get Around Much Any More,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Solitude,” and “I Let a Song Go out of My Heart,” he made wide interval leaps an Ellington trademark. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He took lessons for the same from Marietta Clinkscales. The first job that he did was of selling peanuts at Washington Senators baseball games. Tucker traces Ellington's childhood and young adult years in Washington, D. C. where he got his start as a ragtime pianist, and also draws on accounts from newspapers, periodicals, and trade publications. Inspired by ragtime performers, he began to perform professionally at age 17. Duke Ellington's Early Years At age 15, Ellington worked at a soda fountain and wrote his first song, "Soda Fountain Rag." He collaborated with many others and wrote more than one thousand compositions and many of his extant works became a standard in jazz music. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Duke Ellington was the most important composer in the history of jazz as well as being a bandleader who held his large group together continuously for almost 50 years. John Coltrane & Duke Ellington In the early 60’s an album was release with the title John Coltrane & Duke Ellington. The prestigious high school bands participate in a well-known annual competition named Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival. The expertise of this ensemble allowed Ellington to break away from the conventions of band-section scoring. Ellington’s stylistic qualities were shared by Strayhorn, who increasingly participated in composing and orchestrating music for the Ellington band. Three months shy of graduation, Duke dropped out of school and began his life as a professional musician. Considered as one of the greatest jazz artists ever to live, let’s explore the life and history of Duke Ellington. A giant on the 20th century American cultural scene, Duke Ellington was widely regarded as a legend during his own lifetime. His musical suite Black, Brown and Beige (1943), a portrayal of African-American history, was the first in a series of suites he composed, usually consisting of pieces linked by subject matter. Ellington first played in New York City in 1923. With his creative genius, Ellington elevated the perception of jazz to an art form on a par with other traditional musical genres. He recorded for most American record companies of his time and performed in several films and composed several stage musicals. His autobiography ‘Music Is My Mistress’ was published in 1973. Teachout, Terry (2013). The Life of Duke Ellington Timeline created by amoser. Jazz’s evolution moved … Oct 26, 1918. he play misc at partys. Daisy primarily played parlor songs and J.E. Daisy primarily played parlor songs and J.E. Ellington grew up in a secure middle-class family in Washington, D.C. His family encouraged his interests in the fine arts, and he began studying piano at age seven. By the end of 1924 Ellington made eight records among three of which received composing credit, which included, ‘ChooChoo’. One of the twentieth century's greatest artists, Ellington led a fascinating life. He adapted his style for orchestral purposes, accompanying with vivid harmonic colours and, especially in later years, offering swinging solos with angular melodies. Van de Leur, Walter (2002). They both played instruments, and Duke developed his musical talents early thanks to their influence. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Early career In 1917, Ellington formed his first group, The Duke’s Serenaders. He was one of the originators of big-band jazz, or jazz that uses large orchestras with many musicians. At the age of seven, he began learning piano and was christened “Duke” due to his gentlemanly ways. Childhood & Early Life Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington D.C. His father James Edward Ellington and mother Daisy Kennedy Ellington were pianists. A dapper dresser from an early age, Ellington was given the name “Duke” by friends who admired his style. Duke couldn’t wait to get home and try them out. A bandleader, pianist and a composer, Ellington was nicknamed ‘Duke’ by his childhood friends for his gracious and well-mannered behavior. Omissions? Duke Ellington - Biography. With his father, a Methodist, and his mother, a Baptist, Ellington's upbringing had strong religious influences. It was one of the many collaborations of Duke Ellington in the early 1960s with musicians like; Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2017. Skip to content. Considered as one of the greatest jazz artists ever to live, let’s explore the life and history of Duke Ellington. Both his parents were pianists. For nearly fifty years, Edward Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington was one of America's most famous musicians. Duke - A Life of Duke Ellington. In the early 1930s, the band's audience in America was mainly the African-American community but it had a huge following overseas, exemplified by the success of their trip to England and Scotland in 1933 and their 1934 visit to the European mainland. One of the originators of big-band jazz, Ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in all of Western music. Ellington grew up primarily in Harlem from the age of eight. A giant on the 20th century American cultural scene, Duke Ellington was widely regarded as a legend during his own lifetime. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Williams, for example, demonstrated his versatility in Ellington’s noted miniature concertos “Echoes of Harlem” and “Concerto for Cootie”. Despite this grueling schedule, some of Ellington’s musicians stayed with him for decades; Carney, for example, was a band member for 47 years. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, to James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy Ellington. It returned him to wider prominence and introduced him to a new generation of jazz fans. In June 1923, a gig in Atlantic City, New Jersey, proved lucky for the group and got them a chance to play at the prestigious Exclusive Club in Harlem. His mother made a great effort to raise his son to be elegant and well-mannered. Whenever someone asked him to make a sign for a dance or party, he enquired if they had arranged for music and offered to play for them. In early 1960s he got close to Fernanda de Castro Monte. In late 1917s he formed his own group “The Duke's Serenaders". Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn. Ellington’s sense of musical drama and of his players’ special talents and his wide range of moods were rare indeed. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. But Duke himself claimed the name "God's messenger boy," and during the last nine years of his life he presented more than 100 performances of three sacred concerts with his band. were both pianists. Early Life of a Star. He was entombed in the Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx, New York City. Duke had a job once as a soda jerk, later he wrote his very first composition, "Soda Fountain Rag" at age 15. After a fire incident, the club re-opened as the Club Kentucky. Ellington’s music and his band thrived and played throughout Washington, D.C. and Virginia. He started building his music business through sign painting. Here he receives a special pre-concert gift from NIU First Lady Shirley Nelson. He illuminated subtle moods with ingenious combinations of instruments; among the most famous examples is “Mood Indigo” in his 1930 setting for muted trumpet, unmuted trombone, and low-register clarinet. After some time, the young musicians felt discouraged and returned to Washington, D.C. Using new harmonies to blend his musicians’ individual sounds and illuminating subtle moods with ingenious combinations of instruments, he created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds of Western music. With the additional guidance that he received from the pianists in his home town and from band leader Oliver "Doc" Perry, he inculcated a better understanding of the instrument, learned to read music sheets, improved his technique and projected a professional style. Ellington married his high school sweetheart Edna Thompson on July 2, 1918 at the age of 19. In his early life, Duke played piano music and sang in the choir. Period: Nov 8, 1900 to Nov 8, 1975. Ellington was celebrated in Stevie Wonder's song "Sir Duke" (from "Songs in the Key of Life" (1976)). "It was the most money I had ever seen," he said. In 1931 Ellington began to create extended works, including such pieces as Creole Rhapsody, Reminiscing in Tempo, and Diminuendo in Blue/Crescendo in Blue. His peers noticed his dressing style and natural grace and began referring to him as Duke. Introducing, the band leader who is famous for wearing a sharp tuxedo and writing and playing great jazz music: Mr. Duke Ellington! One of the originators of big-band jazz, he led his band for more than 50 years and composed thousands of scores. His given name was Edward, not Duke. By age seven he was taking piano lessons, and he was a comp… Early Life. His band included Sonny Greer on drums, his childhood friend Otto Hardwick on alto saxophone, Elmer Snowden on banjo and Arthur Whetsol on trumpet. His father, William F. Kennedy, was a Negro who lived in the south. As a composer, Ellington ranked with George … Battling both lung cancer and pneumonia, Ellington and his jazz orchestra nonetheless delighted a capacity crowd in the University Center (now HSC) ballroom on March 20, 1974. EDWARD KENNEDY ELLINGTON was born in a middle class family on April 29th 1899 in Washington DC. Ellington was born in Washington, D.C., United States. Both of his parents were pianists, and his father also made blueprints for the United States Navy. Ellington’s symphonic A Rhapsody of Negro Life was the basis for the film short Symphony in Black (1935), which also features the voice of Billie Holiday (uncredited). Introducing, the band leader who is famous for wearing a sharp tuxedo and writing and playing great jazz music: Mr. Duke Ellington! Famous as: Composer, Pianist and Bandleader, Quotes By Duke Ellington October 1926 was a turning point in his career when he made a career-advancing agreement with agent-publisher Irving Mills. http://powderbluewithpolkadots.blogspot.in/2015/03/style-icon-duke-ellington.html, https://ehsankhoshbakht.blogspot.com/2015/03/Duke-restored.html, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/duke-ellington-mn0000120323/biography, https://www.biography.com/people/groups/famous-alumni-of-armstrong-technical-high-school, http://thejazzlabels.com/artist/duke-ellington/. The story goes that Ellington’s self-confidence and flashy clothes as a young man won him the nickname “Duke.” Early on, he felt the pull of the bright lights of the big city up north. Some of Ellington’s most popular songs were "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Solitude," and "Satin Doll" and many of his popular songs were sung by Ivie Anderson, a favorite female vocalist of Duke's band. Biography Early life and education. When Duke was seven years old, he began taking piano lessons. The variety and ingenuity of these works, all conceived for three-minute, 78-rpm records, are extraordinary, as are their unique forms, which range from logically flowing expositions to juxtapositions of line and mood. ISBN 978-1-592-40749-1. Instead, he used new harmonies to blend his musicians’ individual sounds and emphasized congruent sections and a supple ensemble that featured Carney’s full bass-clef sound. He was the only child of the composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington and his high school sweetheart Edna Thompson (d. 1967). Early Life and Professional life; Personal Life and Death ; Duke was raised by two musical parents and at the age of 7, he studied how to play piano. That marked the birth of his career. He began studying piano at age seven, studied art during his high-school years, and was awarded (but did not accept) a scholarship to the Pratt Institute. Latest Issue + Gallery Of. Ellington was celebrated in Stevie Wonder's song "Sir Duke" (from "Songs in the Key of Life" (1976)). For the most part, later replacements fit into roles that had been created by their distinguished predecessors; after 1950, for instance, the Webster-influenced Paul Gonsalves filled the band’s solo tenor saxophone role originated by Webster. They quit and formed their own band. They were Daisy and James Edward Ellington. Duke was born in a musical family as both his parents were pianists. Ellington wrote thousands of pieces of music and is considered one of the most creative U.S. musicians from the 1900s. Although he was very much aware of Redman’s and Henderson’s work. - Biography of Duke Ellington, Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame - Biography of Duke Ellington, Songwriters Hall of Fame - Biography of Duke Ellington, Duke Ellington - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Duke Ellington - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Duke Ellington, New York, 1943. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. His father played operatic arias while parlor songs were his mother’s first choice. We know Edward Kennedy Ellington as "the Duke": innovative composer, indefatigable jazz orchestra leader; elegant, witty, sensual, sophisticated citizen of the world. Early life. A high point in Ellington’s career came in the early 1940s, when he composed several masterworks—including the above-mentioned “Concerto for Cootie,” his fast-tempo showpieces “Cotton Tail” and “Ko-Ko,” and the uniquely structured, compressed panoramas “Main Stem” and “Harlem Air Shaft”—in which successions of soloists are accompanied by diverse ensemble colours. In September 1927, King Oliver's (American jazz cornet player and bandleader) refusal to play as the house band at Harlem's Cotton Club landed the deal in Ellington's favor and weekly radio broadcasts from the club gave Ellington national exposure. In 1924, Snowden left the group and Ellington became the bandleader. Often collaborating with his longtime composing-arranging partner Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington was responsible for big-band jazz classics such as “Take the ‘A’ Train” (written by Strayhorn), “Mood Indigo,” “Echoes of Harlem,” “Concerto for Cootie,” “Cotton Tail,” and “Ko-Ko” as well as popular songs such as “Sophisticated Lady” and “Prelude to a Kiss.”. Early life. Ellington grew up primarily in Harlem from the age of eight. Duke Ellington was a U.S. pianist, composer, and bandleader. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington D.C. His father James Edward Ellington and mother Daisy Kennedy Ellington were pianists. Questions and answers about Duke Ellington. They moved back to Washington D.C. and struggled for a while. A coin featuring Ellington was launched on February 24, 2009, in the United States. Ellington: The Early Years, Mark Tucker (University of Illinois Press) The World of Duke Ellington, Stanley Dance (Da Capo) Music Is My Mistress, Duke Ellington (Da Capo) The Duke Ellington Reader, edited by Mark Tucker (Oxford University Press) Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn, David Hajdu (North Point Press) Recommended Listening He also wrote many great and popular songs as “Sophisticated Lady,” “Rocks in My Bed,” and “Satin Doll”; “Don’t Get Around Much Any More,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Solitude,” and “I Let a Song Go out of My Heart”. Early Life Born April 29, 1899, Ellington was raised by two talented and musical parents in a bourgeois district of Washington, DC. Updates? Early life. He began listening and imitating ragtime pianists in Washngton D.C and also those who hailed from Atlantic City and Philadelphia. Duke Ellington's contributions to jazz and American music were simply enormous. Some records of this era include: "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "Solitude", and "In a Sentimental Mood". Trivia Info. Ellington received as many as 12 Grammy awards - nine while he was alive. Early Life Edward Kennedy Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. When Ellington’s drummer Sonny Greer joined the Wilber Sweatman Orchestra in New York City, he decided to leave behind his successful career in Washington, D.C., and moved to Harlem. In the summer of 1914, he wrote his first composition "Soda Fountain Rag" that is also known as the "Poodle Dog Rag" while he was working as a soda jerk in Poodle Dog Café. His father played operatic arias while parlor songs were his mother’s first choice. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra is perhaps the greatest of all Jazz bands. Ellington followed his dream of becoming a professional and he was at age 17. He was called Duke by his friends growing up because his suave sophistication reminded them of a nobleman. As a young artist, he accompanied his band member and drummer Sonny Greer to join New York’s Wilber Sweatman Orchestra. They got to play in Atlantic City and the limited exposure they got earned them a gig at Exclusive Club in Harlem. He was very fond of playing baseball. Duke Ellington grew up in Washington, D.C., in a secure middle-class family that encouraged his interests in the fine arts. Initially, the group was known as ‘Elmer Snowden and his Black Sox Orchestra’ but after some time they renamed themselves ‘The Washingtonians’. Charles Ives is perhaps his only rival for the title of the greatest American composer. His fame rose higher in the 1940s when he composed some of his masterworks, including "Concerto for Cootie," "Cotton Tail" and "Ko-Ko.". Let’s get started! Early life and career On April 29, 1899, Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in Washington, D.C., to James Edward and Daisy Ellington. Biography Early life and education. MENU. Ellington and his orchestra saw a major career revival after an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island, in July 1956. In 1925, he contributed four songs to Chocolate Kiddies starring Lottie Gee and Adelaide Hall, which introduced European audiences to African-American styles and performers. When he was four years old, he listened to his mother play a popular piano tune called "The Rosary" and he cried, saying, "It was so pretty. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Christopher Cameron Few of Ellington’s soloists, despite their importance to jazz history, played as effectively in other contexts; no one else, it seemed, could match the inspiration that Ellington provided with his sensitive, masterful settings. Ellington c. 1940s. Inducted into … Duke Ellington's Life Oct 26, 1914. writes 1st song while working as a soda jerk. He led his famed orchestra from 1923 until his death. The singular blues-based melodies; the harsh, vocalized sounds of his trumpeter, Bubber Miley (who used a plunger [“wa-wa”] mute); and the sonorities of the distinctive trombonist Joe (“Tricky Sam”) Nanton (who played muted “growl” sounds) all influenced Ellington’s early “jungle style,” as seen in such masterpieces as “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” (1926) and “Black and Tan Fantasy” (1927). He was born in Harlem in 1899 and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. This school was originally build in 1935 and named the Calvert Street Bridge. His childhood friends gave him the nickname "Duke" for his elegant and flashy style. After some time the young musicians left the Sweatman Orchestra to form their own, they faced a highly competitive emerging jazz scene that was hard to crack. Early Life Born April 29, 1899, Ellington was raised by two talented and musical parents in a bourgeois district of Washington, DC. Besides piano lessons, Ellin… They stayed with his maternal grandparents at 2129 Ida Place which is now called Ward Place, NW in the West End neighborhood of Washington, D.C. There were some exceptions to this generalization, such as trumpeter-violinist Ray Nance and high-note trumpet specialist Cat Anderson. Fifty years ago this week, Duke Ellington and his band played in a concert he later called one of the most memorable of his life. His reputation as a composer and bandleader is intact even after his death. Early Years of Duke Ellington. They lived with his maternal grandparents at 2129 Ward Place, NW in Washington, D.C., USA. He began performing music professionally at age 17. It was into this world that Duke Ellington was born in Washington's west end on April 29, 1899 and through which he moved as a young man. Benefiting from the expertise of a large ensemble that included several important jazz artists, Duke Ellington broke away from the conventions of band-section scoring. 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