Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death in a career spanning over fifty years.[1] Born in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based in New York City ...
Cootie Williams, Eddie Preston, Harold “Money” Johnson, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Norris Turney, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Wild Bill Davis – organ; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – ...
During his lifetime, Duke Ellington composed dozens of famous tunes including “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and “Mood Indigo.” In the mid-20th century, when Ellington was creating his hit songs, the music industry was quite different. Unlike today, th...