A biography of the life and times of a pioneer duke ellington

Ivie Anderson left in for health reasons after eleven years: the longest term of any of Ellington's vocalists.

He played opposite Pam Grier in the motion picture Foxy Brown. InEllington returned to the Cotton Club, which had relocated to the mid-town Theater District.

By his orchestra consisted of six brass instruments, four reeds, and a four-man rhythm section.

How Did Duke Ellington Die? Schuller published two essays about him in High Fidelity; both are included here. Competition was intensifying, though, as swing bands like Benny Goodman 's began to receive popular attention.

At the age of seven, he began studying piano and earned the nickname "Duke" for his gentlemanly ways. John Bankston is a published author and an editor of children's books and young adult books.

Duke ellington band

His Broadway credits include playing the male lead opposite Eartha Kitt in the play Mrs. While some jazz musicians had played at Carnegie Hall before, none had performed anything as elaborate as Ellington's work. Ellington continued on his own course through these tectonic shifts. I think too strongly in terms of altering my music to fit the performer to be impressed by accidental music. The British visit saw Ellington win praise from members of the serious music community, including composer Constant Lambert , which gave a boost to Ellington's interest in composing longer works. He was originally cast as Lieutenant Boomerbut was cut following a roller skating accident that fractured his ankle. Those longer pieces had already begun to appear. Festival appearances at the new Monterey Jazz Festival and elsewhere provided venues for live exposure, and a European tour in was well received. Mills often took a co-composer credit. Making his name as a piano player in Washington, Ellington started to compose his own music. It looks pretty bad, and plays worse, but in the end I did decide to get it. Patterson [1] and performing the title role in the musical extravaganza Kwamina. Acting career[ edit ] Carter gained theatre experience in several productions on the Broadway and off-Broadway stage. In September , King Oliver turned down a regular booking for his group as the house band at Harlem's Cotton Club ; [22] the offer passed to Ellington after Jimmy McHugh suggested him and Mills arranged an audition. Download