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"[i]n the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise, than Edward Kennedy Ellington." -Bob Blumenthal of The Boston Globe
Duke Ellington was a renowned band leader, pianist, and composer in the early 1900s as well as a leader in Jazz. His talents, however, were not limited to merely Jazz. He wrote, blues, classical, the scores for musicals and movies, as well as doing world tours with his orchestra. He described himself as being "beyond category," he did not wanted to be restricted by a single genre and said he wrote american music, (not specifically jazz.) However, it is generally acknowledged that he is a jazz icon and that is where most of his fame comes from. |
Ellington's orchestra was composed of some of the most skilled musicians of the era and part of his talent lied in composing pieces that played to their talents beautifully. The Duke had a gift in knowing what sounded good with what he had, and he utilized that gift to the absolute fullest.
Both of his parents were pianists (though with very different styles) and by the age of seven, he was taking lessons. His grandmother on his mother's side was a former slave. Though he later became one of the greatest musicians of a century, in his childhood, he was not interested in music. It wasn't until he was 15 and working at a soda shop that he composed his first piece, "Soda Fountain Rag." Ellington began sneaking into poolrooms to listen to the pianists play ragtime pieces and his new found fascination with the instrument translated to his lessons where he began to show real dedication. After more training in music and musical theory, Ellington began his musical career. He was eighteen when he began playing piano in nightclubs and in the same year he also began his first group, "The Duke's Serenaders." |
By 1923, his career as a musician was growing and he decided to leave Washington D. C., where he had spent almost his whole life, and move to Harlem, where Jazz was gaining wild popularity. Over the next decade, Ellington continued to rise in fame, making album after album and becoming a familiar name. He went on World Tours and composed some of his most famous pieces.
In the 1940's the Duke made some of his most creative achievements, but by the end of the decade he slowed down a bit. However, he came back strong in the 50's, continuing to play and compose. Ellington continued to conduct his band until his final days, retaining his sense of humor and modest countenance. He is universally acknowledged as one of the most influential jazz composers and provided motivation to many young musicians. |