Duke Ellington
This is a research paper that I did for my English Class on Duke Ellington. Lemme know what you think about it.
-Mar-z-pan
Some would say that singin’, rockin’, and screamin’ would not go together but in fact they do. I hear it all the time in Band. "Woodwinds this part you have to sing through your instruments, or Brass section this part has to be rockin’ or it will sound poopy, or trumpets you need to scream through this section of the song." This is what Duke Ellington tried to achieve and this is what Band leaders all over the world try and get us to accomplish. Through the Duke’s music he is able to say what he wants to say without saying, and he is able to show his understanding, passion, and love for music and for Jazz. Jazz is one of the best types of music and in my opinion one of the hardest types to play. This is why I chose to talk about one of the best Jazz composers in the world.
Edward Kennedy Ellington, or better known as the Duke, was born in Washington, D.C. in 1897 had been playing the piano from the time he was seven, and participating in Jazz-band performances from the time he was 17 on. Before coming to New York in 1923 he had not only organized his own Jazz Band but had also written his first popular tun, the Soda Fountain Rag.
His first trip to New York in 1922 was unsuccessful, but on Fats Waller’s advice he moved there the next year, with his Washington Band. In this band was Sonny Greer on the drums, Toby Hardwick on the Bass and Saxophones, Elmer Showden on the Banjo, and Arthur Whetsol on the Trumpet. "Between 1923 and 1927 this small group, at the Kentucky club on Broadway, was transformed into a fully formed orchestra by incorporating Wellman Braud on the Bass, Harry Carney on the Bari Sax, Fred Guy on the Banjo, Bubber Miley on the Trumpet, and Joe ‘Tricky Sam’ Nanton Trombone." (Hodeir 1995 ed)
Still Just twenty-four, Ellington had already made himself one of the most successful dance bandleaders in town. The Duke’s Serenaders played all over the city and its suburbs, but Washington had come to seem too small and sedate for him. He longed for what he called "the whirl of New York."He had married Edna Thompson. A neighbor’s daughter and high school classmate, four years earlier and had a sone named Mercer, but just a few weeks after hearing Sidney Bechet, Ellington left them behind and headed north to join two young friends, the drummer Sonny Greer and a one-time-schoolmate named Otto Hardwick, who played an alto saxophone.
After playing for a while in Various New York groups, notably the Wilber Sweatman Jazz Bandin Harlem, he became famous. Ellington was a leading figure in New York Jazz. In live performances in night clubs, theaters, and musical comedies on the radio, in motion pictures on records, he reached out to younger audiences than possibly any other Jazz musicians. "Ellington’s long term residency at the cotton club made him the most celebrated black bandleader in New York, but it took the radio to introduce him to the whole country. "(Ward, pg 152)
"We were very fortunate," Ellington said, "because . . . at that particular period all the other bands in the country were trying to imitate Paul Whiteman and naturally they were souped up with a lot of grandiose fanfares and all that sort of thing. But we had a very plaintive sort of style, and out of contrast alone we stuck out, and caught on." (Ward, pg 152)
In New York he made about 200 recordings, some in the "Jungle" style, which was one of Ellington’s most individual creations. The world wide success of mood indigo in 1930 confirmed Ellington’s fame, and in 1931 he began experiments in extended compositions with Creol Rhapsody.
From 1950 Ellington continued to expand the scope of his composition and his activities as a band leader. His foreign tours became increasingly frequent and successful. "Ellington not only leads his band and plays the piano, but he has also prepared most of his orchestrations. In addition, since 1933 Ellington has occupied a leading position among America’s popular composers when Sophisticated Lady and Solitude became hits, and later winning an ASCAP prize of $2,500 as the best popular song of the year. A year later he came out with one of his best-known songs, Mood Indigo." (Ewen, pg. 161) 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.
"By the time of his passing, he was considered the World’s greatest composer and musician. 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 more than 20,000 performances worldwide." (Gately) The Duke conducted his band until death on died May 24, 1974 when it was taken over by his son Mercer Ellington. "On September 30, 2004, Duke was inducted into the Ertegun Jazz hall of fame. Paul Ellington, Duke’s grandson, and his mother, Lene Margrette Ellington, accepted the honor on the Duke’s behalf. The event took place in the center of Fedrik P. Rose Hall." (Gately)
Nichol Gately says that, "the dynamic and mesmerizing music of Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington is forever etched in Jazz History. He was a song writer, composer and acclaimed performer that helped shape modern music as we know it. He wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions which continue to have a lasting effect on people all over the world today. Duke was, selected, nominated and voted upon by a panel of 72 international Jazz experts from 17 different countries. (Gatley)
-Mar-z-pan
Some would say that singin’, rockin’, and screamin’ would not go together but in fact they do. I hear it all the time in Band. "Woodwinds this part you have to sing through your instruments, or Brass section this part has to be rockin’ or it will sound poopy, or trumpets you need to scream through this section of the song." This is what Duke Ellington tried to achieve and this is what Band leaders all over the world try and get us to accomplish. Through the Duke’s music he is able to say what he wants to say without saying, and he is able to show his understanding, passion, and love for music and for Jazz. Jazz is one of the best types of music and in my opinion one of the hardest types to play. This is why I chose to talk about one of the best Jazz composers in the world.
Edward Kennedy Ellington, or better known as the Duke, was born in Washington, D.C. in 1897 had been playing the piano from the time he was seven, and participating in Jazz-band performances from the time he was 17 on. Before coming to New York in 1923 he had not only organized his own Jazz Band but had also written his first popular tun, the Soda Fountain Rag.
His first trip to New York in 1922 was unsuccessful, but on Fats Waller’s advice he moved there the next year, with his Washington Band. In this band was Sonny Greer on the drums, Toby Hardwick on the Bass and Saxophones, Elmer Showden on the Banjo, and Arthur Whetsol on the Trumpet. "Between 1923 and 1927 this small group, at the Kentucky club on Broadway, was transformed into a fully formed orchestra by incorporating Wellman Braud on the Bass, Harry Carney on the Bari Sax, Fred Guy on the Banjo, Bubber Miley on the Trumpet, and Joe ‘Tricky Sam’ Nanton Trombone." (Hodeir 1995 ed)
Still Just twenty-four, Ellington had already made himself one of the most successful dance bandleaders in town. The Duke’s Serenaders played all over the city and its suburbs, but Washington had come to seem too small and sedate for him. He longed for what he called "the whirl of New York."He had married Edna Thompson. A neighbor’s daughter and high school classmate, four years earlier and had a sone named Mercer, but just a few weeks after hearing Sidney Bechet, Ellington left them behind and headed north to join two young friends, the drummer Sonny Greer and a one-time-schoolmate named Otto Hardwick, who played an alto saxophone.
After playing for a while in Various New York groups, notably the Wilber Sweatman Jazz Bandin Harlem, he became famous. Ellington was a leading figure in New York Jazz. In live performances in night clubs, theaters, and musical comedies on the radio, in motion pictures on records, he reached out to younger audiences than possibly any other Jazz musicians. "Ellington’s long term residency at the cotton club made him the most celebrated black bandleader in New York, but it took the radio to introduce him to the whole country. "(Ward, pg 152)
"We were very fortunate," Ellington said, "because . . . at that particular period all the other bands in the country were trying to imitate Paul Whiteman and naturally they were souped up with a lot of grandiose fanfares and all that sort of thing. But we had a very plaintive sort of style, and out of contrast alone we stuck out, and caught on." (Ward, pg 152)
In New York he made about 200 recordings, some in the "Jungle" style, which was one of Ellington’s most individual creations. The world wide success of mood indigo in 1930 confirmed Ellington’s fame, and in 1931 he began experiments in extended compositions with Creol Rhapsody.
From 1950 Ellington continued to expand the scope of his composition and his activities as a band leader. His foreign tours became increasingly frequent and successful. "Ellington not only leads his band and plays the piano, but he has also prepared most of his orchestrations. In addition, since 1933 Ellington has occupied a leading position among America’s popular composers when Sophisticated Lady and Solitude became hits, and later winning an ASCAP prize of $2,500 as the best popular song of the year. A year later he came out with one of his best-known songs, Mood Indigo." (Ewen, pg. 161) 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.
"By the time of his passing, he was considered the World’s greatest composer and musician. 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 more than 20,000 performances worldwide." (Gately) The Duke conducted his band until death on died May 24, 1974 when it was taken over by his son Mercer Ellington. "On September 30, 2004, Duke was inducted into the Ertegun Jazz hall of fame. Paul Ellington, Duke’s grandson, and his mother, Lene Margrette Ellington, accepted the honor on the Duke’s behalf. The event took place in the center of Fedrik P. Rose Hall." (Gately)
Nichol Gately says that, "the dynamic and mesmerizing music of Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington is forever etched in Jazz History. He was a song writer, composer and acclaimed performer that helped shape modern music as we know it. He wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions which continue to have a lasting effect on people all over the world today. Duke was, selected, nominated and voted upon by a panel of 72 international Jazz experts from 17 different countries. (Gatley)
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