How many compositions did duke ellington write

Born: April 29, , Washington, D. In his own words. Anyone who plays anything worth hearing knows what he's going to play, no matter whether prepared a day ahead or a beat ahead. It has to be with intent. African-American composer, pianist, and bandleader. Ellington was one of the leading figures in American jazz, and created a unique, recognizable style. What is more remarkable than the quantity is the consistently high quality; there are few if any throwaways in Ellington's entire discography!

There is simply no explanation for Edward Kennedy Ellington's musical genius. Although he started studying piano when he was seven, for a time it seemed that Duke who picked up his lifelong nickname early was going to be an artist. However he so enjoyed hearing the ragtime and barrelhouse piano players of the era that he soon chose music.

Ellington started playing music in Washington, D. Ellington, whose first composition "Soda Fountain Rag" was written during this era, worked on building up his technique by slowing down James P.

Johnson piano rolls and analyzing the fingering. A brief visit to New York in playing with Wilbur Sweatman was unsuccessful but Ellington returned the following year and was determined to stick it out. He and such hometown friends as Sonny Greer, Otto Hardwicke and Arthur Whetsol worked for a period under banjoist Elmer Snowden's leadership and then, after an argument over missing money, Ellington became the leader.

His early group was called the Washingtonians. For a brief time Sidney Bechet starred on soprano but more important to Duke's development was the playing of trumpeter Bubber Miley, a brilliant plunger specialist who largely founded the "jungle sound" that made Ellington's group sound different than anyone else.

Duke recorded two titles with his group in November "Choo Choo" and "Rainy Nights" that found his band already sounding recognizable despite only having three horns with altoist Otto Hardwicke and trombonist Charles Irvis.

Oddly enough the eight other selections that he recorded during are quite primitive and disappointing; Miley is absent and the band sounds as if it were struggling. However with the debut of Ellington's early theme song "East St. He remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music and is widely considered as one of the twentieth century's best known African American personalites.

As both a composer and a band leader, Ellington's reputation has increased since his death, with thematic repackagings of his signature music often becoming best-sellers. Posthumous recognition of his work include a special award citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board. Ellington and Edward K. Nothing contained on dukeellington.

Duke Ellington Biography Duke Ellington called his music "American Music" rather than jazz, and liked to describe those who impressed him as "beyond category.

To report any problems with this website, please email the webmaster. In , he was invited to visit the White House, and in his band made its first European tour, a huge triumph. In the years that followed, Ellington continued to grow musically, and the quality of his band continued to improve, reaching what many consider to be a peak from through the early s.

After the end of World War II, big bands went out of fashion, and, like other bands, Ellington's band suffered financially. Nevertheless, Ellington continued to keep the band together through all the years that followed, subsidizing the band from his royalties as a composer. Ellington was primarily an instrumental composer, and most of his songs were originally written as instrumental pieces, with words tacked on at a later date.