Duke Ellington

FULL NAME: Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington

DATES: 1899 1974
He was a composer, a pianist and big band leader
wrote over 1,000 compositions.
He was a prominent figure in the history of jazz
music also delved into other genres (including
BLUES, GOSPEL, FILM SCORES, POPULAR and
CLASSICAL)

and
and his

His career was longer than 50 years and it

involved leading his orchestra, composing a vast
songbook, scoring films, composing musicals
and world tours.
Many of his instrumental works were adapted to
become songs which became standards.
He is considered to have elevated the perception of jazz to an art form at a
similar level to other traditional genres, due to his inventive use of orchestra
and big band.
Ellington himself called his music American Music, as opposed to jazz, and
often composed specifically for the styles and skills of the band members,
such as:
JEEPS BLUES for Johnny Hodges
CONCERTO FOR COOTIE for Cootie Williams
THE MOOCHE for Tricky Sam Nanton and Bubber Miley.
He led his band from 1923 until he died in 1974.

HIS LIFE:
At the age of seven, he began to take piano lessons from Marietta Clinkscales
his mother surrounded him with dignified women to reinforce his manners.
His childhood friends noticed that his manners and dress gave him the
appearance of a nobleman, and so started calling him Duke Ellington
credited Edgar McEntree for the nickname.
Although he had piano lessons, Ellington was more interested in baseball, and
got his first job selling peanuts at Washington senators baseball games.
In 1914, when he was working as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Caf, he wrote
his first composition, SODA FOUNTAIN RAG, by ear as he hadnt learnt to read
and write music.
He played it as a ONE-STEP, TWO-STEP, WALTZ, TANGO and FOX TROT,
recalling that listeners never knew it was the same piece

He missed more of his lessons than he attended feeling that playing the piano
wasnt his talent.
He started sneaking into Frank Holidays Poolroom at the age of 14, and
hearing the poolroom pianists play inspired him and caused him to take his
piano lessons seriously.
He began listening to and imitating ragtime pianists, and with the guidance of
band-leader Oliver Perry, he learnt to read sheet music, project a professional
style and improve his technique.
From 1917-1919 he launched his musical career, painting signs by day and
playing piano at night. He would use his job painting signs to get opportunities
to play the piano - when people came asking for signs for dances or parties,
he would ask if they had musical entertainment and offer to play for them.

His work has come to be recognised as a cornerstone of American culture and

heritage and he is widely regarded as one of the most important composers in
jazz.
He was also an inspirational band leader, inspiring many of his musicians to
produce their best work, whilst being a significant exponent of jazz piano.
His son, MERCER ELLINGTON, kept his band alive after he died, and when
Mercer died, Paul Elliington kept the Orchestra going.