Duke Ellington
“The composer and bandleader who elevated jazz to a sophisticated, distinctly American art form.”
On December 4, 1927, Duke Ellington's orchestra began a residency at Harlem's Cotton Club. The nightly radio broadcasts from the club carried his sophisticated 'jungle' sound across America and made him a national star, launching one of the longest careers in jazz history.
The Washington Duke
Edward Kennedy Ellington earned the nickname 'Duke' as a boy for his refined manners and dress. He grew up in Washington's middle-class Black community before chasing a music career in New York.
Cotton Club Fame
His 1927 Cotton Club residency, broadcast live on radio, turned the orchestra into a national sensation. There he developed the atmospheric 'jungle' style that set him apart from rivals.
An American Composer
Beyond dance hits, Ellington wrote ambitious suites, film scores, and sacred concerts. He kept his orchestra touring almost continuously for half a century until his death in 1974.
Career Timeline
- 1899Born April 29 in Washington, D.C.
- 1923Moves to New York City to pursue music
- 1927Begins landmark residency at the Cotton Club
- 1931Records It Don't Mean a Thing standard
- 1939Billy Strayhorn joins as collaborator
- 1941Take the A Train becomes signature theme
- 1943Premieres Black, Brown and Beige at Carnegie Hall
- 1956Triumphant comeback at Newport Jazz Festival
- 1965Begins composing his Sacred Concerts
- 1969Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom at 70
- 1974Dies May 24 in New York City at 75
Biggest Hits
- Nightly radio broadcasts from the Cotton Club carried his music nationwide and built his early fame.
- He composed an estimated 1,000 or more works, many co-written with Billy Strayhorn.
The Moment You Remember
His 1956 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival is the moment most often recalled: a thrilling, extended performance of <em>Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue</em>, propelled by a long saxophone solo, that brought the crowd to its feet and revitalized his career at midlife.
Portrait: Unknown author · Public domain (PD-US, published 1931-1977 without notice) · via Wikimedia Commons