Archive for November, 2009

Duke Ellington's Influence on Jazz Music

Duke Ellington was born on April 29, 1899 in Washington D.C. to James Edward Ellington and Daisy Ellington, and was christened Edward Kennedy Ellington. Greatly known in history for his contribution to Jazz music, he has often been called one of the finest jazz composers and band leaders. Having been around for over half a century, he composed over a thousand works and one of the most unique sounds in Western music. Along with being an African jazz composer and band leader, he also played the piano. He passed away from cancer in the Presbyterian Hospital in New York on May 24, 1974.

Ellington grew up in a well to do family Washington D.C., starting school in 1904 where initially had an interest in baseball but an injury to his head convinced his mother that it was not a good idea. Three years later, he began his musical training of piano, harmony, and notation. He attended Armstrong High School, but studied most of music at a nearby High School with Harry Grant of Dunbar High School. He would also go to Grant’s house to learn more about music theory. Later in life, Duke was known to have said this in regards to his experience with Grant, “It ended up a hidden course in harmony that lighted the direction to more highly-developed composition. It was a music foundation and I jumped at the opportunity.”   He wrote his very first composition in 1914 called Soda Fountain Rag. Duke grew up listening to “Doc” Perry, Louis Brown, Lester Dishman, and Shorty Mac. The way he played the piano was greatly influenced by James P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith. He called what he picked up from these artists his “poolroom education.”

Duke Ellington played his first professional job on stage somewhere between 1915 and 1916 with a show that was of a magician and himself. He loved the composer James P. Johnson, and even performed one of his works titles The Carolina Shout. He married Edna Thompson on July 2, 1918 and began to organize bands around Washington. He went to New York in 1922 with Sonny Greer, the drummer, and Otto Hardwick, the reed player. His move there with the Wilbur Sweatman Orchestra wasn’t successful so he came back to Washington and began an informal study with Johnson and Willie Smith.

In 1923, he tries again a move to New York with the advice from Thomas “Fats” Waller. However, this time he took with him his regular quintet, which was completed by Arthur Whetsol, the trumpeter, and Elmer Snowden, the banjoist. The band was called the Washingtonians and they played at Barron’s Club in Harlem and at the Hollywood Club on Broadway, which was later renamed to Kentucky Club. He worked with Snowden for a while until there was an argument over missing money, which led to Ellington becoming the leader of the band. He was able to make his first recording in 1923 with the Kentucky Club Orchestra.

Next year he adds James “Bubber” Miley to his band who added what people called his “Jungle Sound” Sidney Bechet was a creole soprano saxophonist and clarinetist that played with the band for a short period, but never got the chance to record with them. The band made their first recording this year. They recorded Choo Choo (gotta hurry home) and Rainy Nights (rainy days) together. This band didn’t hit the big time until they picked up Irving Mills in 1926, who became their manager. In 1927, the band added the baritone saziphonist Harry Carney, the claritenist Barney Bigard, and Adelaide Hall.  Mood Indigo was the first big hit of Ellington’s career and the band also appeared in the 1930 film “Double Check” the very same year. The band played at the Cotton Club in New York successfully until 1932.

At the end of the decade, the band was one of the few successful bands in making the change in regards to what the public demanded. They were able to change from their Hot Jazz style of the 20s to Swing music in the 30s. Their hit It Don’t Mean a Thing actually came to define the new style of music of that decade. The band made their first European tour in 1933.

Duke Ellington continued to dominate the Jazz world until his death in 1974. He produced Jump for Joy in 1941, which had some comments on racism.He produced Take the A train, Perdido, The C Jam Blues, and Satin Doll” throughout the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1960s, Duke began producing more work related to religion such as The Far East Suite. At the end of his career, his music and style remained popular even though most of his band members had passed away. After Ellington’s death, the band continued to enjoy success under his son Mercer.

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