Edward kennedy ellington was born in washington, d. The piano prince and his orchestra by andrea davis pinkney and brian pinkney. The ellington family lived in lincolnshire, at the manor of elkington, near louth. Now the group really started to soar on the charts and finally got to play at new yorks carnegie hall. His son mercer ellington took over the band until he died of cancer in 1996. He was commemorated by stevie wonder with sir duke, a song wonder wrote in 1976. The story of one of americas greatest composers, duke ellington, is lavishly told here in jazzinspired prose.
Duke ellingtons story on record remains the most commanding legacy in the music, impossible to surpass. Born edward kennedy ellington on april 29, 1899 in washington, d. Duke ellington and his orchestra the uncollected duke. The composer and bandleader duke ellington 18991974 was a largely selftaught pianist who was influenced by jazz and ragtime performers. A major new biography of duke ellington from the acclaimed author of pops. The most ellington families were found in the usa in 1880. When he was a boy, edward kennedy ellington s first love was baseball. Ellingtons classics include dont get around much anymore, mood indigo, and i let a song get out of my head. Edward kennedy duke ellington was born in washington d. Duke ellington studies duke ellington s america is the first biography to make extensive use of a collection of ellingtons personal and professional records housed at the smithsonian institution. Duke ellington is considered by many to be one of americas most brilliant jazz composers writers of music of the twentieth century. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. A jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, ellington was one of the most eminent and creative u.
Edward kennedy duke ellington april 29, 1899 may 24, 1974 was an american composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than six decades. A life of louis armstrong edward kennedy duke ellington was the greatest jazz composer of the twentieth centuryand an impenetrably enigmatic personality whom no one, not even his closest friends, claimed to understand. Duke ellington is considered to be one of the greatest figures in the history of american music. Duke ellingtons most popular book is music is my mistress. Duke ellington edward kennedy ellington pianist, composer, orchestra leaderborn.
Edward kennedy duke ellington april 29, 1899 may 24, 1974 was an american composer, pianist, and big band leader. Duke ellington students britannica kids homework help. Jan 21, 2020 ellington has been profiled in many books through the years and he was a national name by the early 1930s, but there are some aspects of his life and career that are not as wellknown as his. His parents, james edward and daisy kennedy ellington, both played the piano. His parents were called james edward ellington and daisy kennedy ellington. The teacher will play a selection of music from duke ellington it dont mean a thing if it aint got that swing or satin doll mp3 itunes. A life of duke ellington, dive into the story of how ellington engineered his own image. Ellington is a name that was brought to england by the ancestors of the ellington family when they migrated to the region after the norman conquest in 1066. Duke ellington is the author of music is my mistress 3. Duke ellington has 120 books on goodreads with 1662 ratings. This was about 26% of all the recorded ellingtons in the usa.
He gained international acclaim through gigs and appearances in the cotton club of harlem. Nov 29, 2018 complete duke ellington 2017 biography. He led his famed orchestra from 1923 until his death. Duke ellington progressed quickly from routine hotdance records to sophisticated and complex threeminute works which showed a rare grasp of the possibilities of the 78r. Edward kennedy duke ellington was born in washington, d. However, he was more than capable of sensitive examination of his own music. Of the haunting and plaintive mood indigo, he said. He was raised by a middleclass africanamerican family, and his parents were both pianists.
In 1939, duke hired billy strayhorn to write songs for the group. Edward kennedy ellington was born on april 29, 1899. Duke ellington was the most famous of all of them and he played the piano. Before the birth of edward kennedy ellington on april 29, 1899, there was a young washington cd couple, daisy kennedy ellington and james edward ellington. Duke ellington was elegantly dismissive of analysis. Ace your next assignment with help from a professional writer. While working as a sign painter he began to play professionally and in 1918 started his own band in his native washington dc. He married edna thompson, his high school sweetheart, on july 2, 1918, and they had one child together. Duke ellington family, childhood, life achievements, facts, wiki and bio of 2017. Biography for duke ellington turner classic movies. Then paul ellington, mercers youngest son, took over the band. Duke ellington s most popular book is music is my mistress. Ellington s classics include dont get around much anymore, mood indigo, and i let a song get out of my head. The grandson of a slave, he dropped out of high school to become one of the worlds most famous musicians, a.
By 1918 he had formed a band, and after appearances in nightclubs in harlem he became one of the most famous figures in american jazz. The piano prince and his orchestra by andrea davis pinkney, help the b. He was one of the most important musicians in the history of recorded music, and is called one of the greatest figures in jazz music. This is a box set of four duke ellington 78s containing a total of eight songs released in march of 1943 on victor records. Edward kennedy duke ellington april 29, 1899 may 24, 1974 was an american composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than six decades born in washington, d. This biography profiles his childhood, life, music career, achievements and timeline. He also played blues, gospel, pop, and classical music. A short biography of duke ellington, the american jazz legend known for his hits like it dont mean a thing if it aint got that swing and take the a. The complete brunswick and vocalion recordings 19261931 duke ellington on allmusic 1994 this threecd set, which has all of duke. He was called duke by his friends growing up because his suave sophistication reminded them. Edward kennedy duke ellington was the greatest jazz composer of the twentieth century and an impenetrably enigmatic personality whom no one, not even his closest friends, claimed to understand. When he was a boy, edward kennedy ellingtons first love was baseball.
This was about 26% of all the recorded ellington s in the usa. Edward kennedy duke ellington was an american jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. The life and music of duke ellington lessons 023 024 th. Summary duke ellington was born on april 29, 1899 in washington, d.
Ellington made his first professional appearance as a jazz pianist in 1916. Ellington led his band from 1923 until he died of lung cancer in 1974. May, 2016 ellington was a family man, and he lavished his parents and sister with extravagant gifts, like this diamondencrusted swiss pocket watch he gave his father, james edward ellington, just as the. Musician, historian, lecturer 6 selected compositions 7 selected discography 8 sources 9 duke ellington 10 was a distinct. List of books and articles about duke ellington online. The range of his accomplishments was so great over a 55year career that his impact on music has yet to be assessed adequately. Ellington was a family man, and he lavished his parents and sister with extravagant gifts, like this diamondencrusted swiss pocket watch he gave his father, james edward ellington, just as the. Duke ellington 1 18991974 pianist, bandleader, composer at a glance 2 a late bloomer 3 formed his own band 4 blew the joint away at newport 5 the 1960s. Duke ellington was an american jazz composer and performer who is among one of the greatest names in the history of jazz. Duke ellington bio, facts, family famous birthdays.
Duke ellington studies is a welcome addition to ellington scholarship, consisting of some wellresearched articles that contain a wealth of information. The recording features ellingtons famous orchestra of wellknown players like saxophonist otto hardwicke, clarinetist barney bigard, trumpet player bubber miley, and many more. Duke ellington biography life, death, history, mother, son. Ellington used his band as a musical laboratory for his new compositions and shaped his writing specifically to showcase the talents of his bandmembers, many of whom remained with him. Duke ellingtonedward kennedy ellingtonpianist, composer, orchestra leaderborn.
Yet, aside from ellington s own rather unrevealing autobiography and a collection of reminiscences of his band members, no indepth biography of this preeminent figure of twentiethcentury music and entertainment has previously existed. Ellington first demonstrated his ability to write music for the theater in 1924, when he cowrote a successful, allblack musical revue called chocolate kiddies, starring legendary actress. Today, three generations of ellingtons are working passionately to carry on the ducal legacy. Books by duke ellington author of music is my mistress. An originator of bigband jazz, duke ellington was an american composer, pianist and bandleader who composed thousands of scores over his 50year career. The ellington family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920.
Duke ellington biography 2017 facts, childhood, wiki. Music lovers everywhere have hailed duke ellington as one of the greatest geniuses of jazz. At his parents insistence, he took piano lessons and, by the time he was 19, music was. Duke ellington edward kennedy ellington, 18991974, american jazz musician and composer, b. The young duke, born edward kennedy ellington in washington d. 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. Duke ellington article about duke ellington by the free.
Grammy awardwinning jazz pianist, composer, and orchestra leader considered the most prolific composer and bestknown figure in jazz history. In 1840 there were 30 ellington families living in north carolina. In doing so, duke ellington was one of the most important musical figures in american history. Duke ellington was a famous african american jazz musician. An american genius, collier tells the full story of edward kennedy ellington from his childhood as the pampered and adored only son of a middleclass washington black family to his death in 1974 when over ten thousand people mourned at his funeral and the new york times obituary proclaimed him. Ellington has been profiled in many books through the years and he was a national name by the early 1930s, but there are some aspects of his life and career that are not as wellknown as his. Edward kennedy duke ellington was a renowned composer, pianist, jazz enthusiast, and band leader of jazz orchestras. The renaissance man of jazz ella fitzgerald called him the duke of ellington. Ellington found that when he went on a diet consisting of nothing but steak, hot water, grapefruit juice and coffee, he could lose weight very quickly. Duke ellington biography childhood, life achievements. The secrets behind duke ellingtons prized possessions new.
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