Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an African‑American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader whose career spanned six decades and reshaped the sound of American music. Born in Washington, D.C., to a family of musicians, he began piano lessons at age seven and wrote his first rag, “Soda Fountain Rag,” while working as a soda‑jerk in 1914. By 1917 he had formed his own group, the Duke’s Serenaders, and after several years of touring the Mid‑Atlantic he moved to Harlem, where his orchestra secured a groundbreaking residency at the Cotton Club in 1927, broadcasting live to a national audience. Ellington’s compositional output exceeded one thousand pieces, ranging from three‑minute swing hits such as “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” to ambitious multi‑movement suites like Black, Brown, and Beige and the Sacred Concerts. His partnership with Billy Strayhorn, beginning in 1939, produced enduring standards like “Take the ‘A’ Train” and many sophisticated arrangements that showcased the unique voices of individual band members. A master of orchestral color, he integrated brass growls, wood‑wind improvisations, and exotic rhythms, influencing generations of musicians from Count Basie to modern hip‑hop producers. Ellington’s career experienced a major resurgence after his electrifying appearance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, where Paul Gonsalves’ 27‑chorus tenor solo revived public interest and led to a long‑term contract with Columbia Records. In addition to recording dozens of albums, he scored films such as Anatomy of a Murder, appeared in short‑feature movies, and composed for stage productions, demonstrating a versatility that transcended genre boundaries. Though he died of lung cancer in New York City in 1974, his legacy endures through the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a commemorative U.S. coin, and countless recordings that continue to define the very essence of American music.