Duke Ellington Essay Research Paper Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington Essay, Research Paper

Duke Ellington Duke Ellington By the clip of his passing, he was considered amongst the universe & # 8217 ; s greatest composers and instrumentalists. The Gallic authorities honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor, while the authorities of the United States bestowed upon him the highest civil award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He played for the royalty and for the common people and by the terminal of his fifty-year calling, he had played over 20,000 public presentations worldwide. He was the Duke, Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the universe on April 28, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke & # 8217 ; s parents Daisy Kennedy Ellington and James Edward Ellington served as ideal function theoretical accounts for immature Duke and taught him everything from proper table manners to an apprehension of the emotional power of music. Duke & # 8217 ; s first piano lessons came around the age of seven or eight and appeared to non hold that much enduring consequence upon him. It seemed as if immature Duke was more inclined to baseball at a immature age. Duke got his first occupation merchandising peanuts at Washington Senator & # 8217 ; s baseball games. This was the first clip Duke was placed as a & # 8220 ; performer & # 8221 ; for a crowd and had to first acquire over his phase fear. At the age of 14, Duke began mousing into Frank Holliday & # 8217 ; s poolroom. His experiences from the poolroom taught him to appreciate the value in blending with a broad scope of people. As Duke & # 8217 ; s piano lessons faded into the past, Duke began to demo a flair for the artistic. Duke attended Armstrong Manual Training School to analyze commercial art alternatively of an academically-oriented school. Duke began to seek out and listen to ragtime piano players in Washington and during the summers, where he and his female parent vacationed in Philadelphia or Atlantic City. While holidaying in Asbury Park, Duke heard of a hot piano player named Harvey Brooks. At the terminal of his holiday Duke sought Harvey out in Philadelphia where Harvey showed Duke some pianistic fast ones and cutoffs. Duke subsequently recounted that, & # 8220 ; When I got place I had a existent longing to play. I hadn & # 8217 ; t been able to acquire off the land before, but after hearing him I said to myself, & # 8216 ; Man you & # 8217 ; re traveling to hold to make it. & # 8217 ; & # 8221 ; Thus the music calling of Duke Ellington was born. Duke was taken under the wings of Oliver & # 8220 ; Doc & # 8221 ; Perry and Louis Brown who taught Duke how to read music and helped better his overall piano playing accomplishments. Duke found pian

o playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout the Washington area. Three months shy of graduation, Duke dropped out of school and began his professional music career. In late 1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke’s Serenaders. Between 1918 and 1919, Duke made three significant steps towards independence. First, he moved out of his parents’ home and into a home he bought for himself. Second, Duke became his own booking agent for his band. By doing so, Ellington’s band was able to play throughout the Washington area and into Virginia for private society balls and embassy parties. Finally, Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 11, 1919, Mercer Kennedy Ellington was born. In 1923, Duke left the security that Washington offered him and moved to New York. Through the power of radio, listeners throughout New York had heard of Duke Ellington, making him quite a popular musician. It is also in that year that Duke made his first recording. Ellington and his renamed band, The Washingtonians, established themselves during the prohibition era by playing at places like the Exclusive Club, Connie’s Inn, the Hollywood Club (Club Kentucky), Ciro’s, the Plantation Club, and most importantly the Cotton Club. Thanks to the rise in radio receivers and the industry itself, Duke’s band was broadcast across the nation live on “From the Cotton Club.” The band’s music along with their popularity spread rapidly. In 1928, Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which Mills produced and published Ellington’s music. Recording companies like Brunswick, Columbia, and Victor came calling. Duke’s band became the most sought after band in the United States and even throughout the world. 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. Duke Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New Deli, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. Ellington and his band played with such greats as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Louis Armstrong. They entertained everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon. Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions, all of which continue to have a lasting effect upon people worldwide for a long time to come.Word Count: 802