Jazz Musicians: Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington Essay (Biography)

Edward Kennedy Ellington (Duke) was born in Washington, DC, in a prosperous middle-class family. He was a bandleader, composer, pianist, and arranger. Duke Ellington successfully played in different styles including orchestral jazz, swing, progressive big band, and jazz. Moreover, he wrote music for movies and musicals.

Since 1927, Ellington’s orchestra began performing in one of the richest and most prestigious clubs of Harlem – Cotton Club (Gutman 15). For five years in the club, Ellington’s orchestra has evolved from a simple beginner orchestra in the leading jazz band in New York. It was a serious and very prestigious title. Duke Ellington applied in practice his own sound effects and adaptations for playing musical instruments. All this made an impression on the audience, and the orchestra of Ellington became famous. For example, holes of tubes or trombones were muted in order to produce a well-known wah-wah effect. Musicians were constantly experimenting; in particular, they created musical “words” from syllables hitting the audience with sound originality. Duke Ellington, who is called the father of the so-called jungle style, introduced it the first time.

In the Cotton Club, he met the talented composer Will Marion Cook, who taught him a lot. The lessons sometimes take unexpected forms: for example, Ellington sang a song, and Cook suddenly stopped and commanded him: “And now in the opposite direction!” Later, these exercises gave results as Ellington extensively used them when writing songs. When there was the fashion for swing bands, Ellington’s orchestra began to play swing compositions and even entered the top ten swing bands.

Ellington’s career has been full of discoveries. He created the style of the jungle and styles that appeal to the academic European musical forms – suites, rhapsodies, ballet, and opera. His original orchestral works have had a great impact on the development of an aesthetic culture of the 20th century. Every significant jazz orchestra experienced his impact directly or indirectly. Ellington has changed the role of the bass, tenor, and baritone in a big band. He was the first who used the human voice as an instrument and initiated Latin jazz creating «Caravan» composition. Ellington also wrote extensively for television and theatrical productions.

His legacy is undoubtedly immense. The most precious in the Ellington legacy are hundreds of three-minute pieces, in which he appeared as a true master: «Black and Tan Fantasy», «Concerto for Cootie», «Main Stem», and plenty of others. Thirty-eight large works intended for concert performance, spiritual concerts, music for theatrical productions, and films were written. His discography comprises more than six hundred discs. Duke Ellington takes the first place on a global scale by the time his songs sound on the radio, on television, and on disks. His orchestra was a real jazz school. What is more, Ellington was an exemplary leader of a big band – an authoritative and delicate. Some musicians remained with him throughout his life: for example, Johnny Hodges, Barney Begird, and Jimmy Hamilton.

In addition, he wrote beautiful music for musicals. Ellington recorded several songs «Check and Double Check» film. One of them, «Three Little Words» with Bing Crosby singing became an American hit.

In spite of the fact that he faced some challenges being both Afro-American and gay, he considered himself free: “freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity; freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might possibly help another more than it might himself; and freedom from the kind of pride” (Roberts par. 7). It shows his deep and strong personality. All that Ellington has achieved in his life was due to his own efforts and talent. He had such a taste and intellect that enabled him to set realistic goals and constantly strive to implement them. In his creative life, he usually found the right path.

Ellington was popular worldwide and even performed in USSR: “the Soviet Press gave the Ellington tour unprecedented coverage” (Cohen 550). He also composed the famous Such Sweet Thunder Shakespeare suite and wrote records with Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. According to Teachout, “like Ravel and Renoir, Ellington was an impressionist, an artist who dealt not in ideas but images” (“Duke Ellington, King of Jazz” par. 5). In the spring of 1939, Irving Mills organized Ellington’s orchestra tour. They performed in Sweden, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark (Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington 38). The tour has great success. The performance of the famed musician caused unprecedented excitement. Each concert created the explosion and strong emotions. In Stockholm, a lavish banquet was held on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Duke, and fans have filled his room with gifts and flowers.

President Nixon stated that the subtlety, depth, elegance, and taste Ellington nested in his music made him in the eyes of millions of people in our country and abroad, the foremost composer of America (“Presidents Day: Nixon Honors Duke Ellington” par. 3). It reveals Ellington’s significance for people and his contribution to the music.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that Ellington entered the history as the most significant jazz musician. Duke Ellington was the most famous musician of his era. He was the idol of millions of people around the world. The majority of his contemporaries were more or less familiar with his music.

Works Cited

Cohen, Harvey G. Duke Ellington’s America, Chicago: U of Chicago, 2010. Print.

Gutman, Bill. Duke: The Musical Life of Duke Ellington, New York: Random House, 2014. Print.

“Presidents Day: Nixon Honors Duke Ellington.” Examiner.com. 2014. Web.

Roberts, Sam. “City History, and Vantages, Often Overlooked.”The New York Times. 2016. Web.

Teachout, Terry. Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington, New York: Gotham, 2013. Print.

– Duke Ellington, King of Jazz. The Wall Street Journal. 2013. Web.