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Duke Ellington, 1899-1974
When bestowing the ultimate compliment, Duke Ellington favored the phrase "beyond category" -- a superlative that aptly described his own musical achievements. The famed jazz composer, bandleader, pianist, and arranger helped to reshape the contours of American music during a career that spanned half a century. Raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington made his professional debut at seventeen. In the 1920s he became a fixture at Harlem's celebrated Cotton Club and built a large and diverse following when his orchestra's performances were relayed nationwide via nightly radio broadcasts. His reputation grew internationally with overseas tours in 1933 and 1939. A prolific composer, Ellington is credited with penning a vast body of work, including the classics "In a Sentimental Mood"(1935) and "Satin Doll" (1958) as well as critically acclaimed concert pieces such as Black, Brown, and Beige (which premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1943) and Harlem (A Tone Parallel to Harlem) in 1950. |