The Life of Duke Ellington - Essay Example

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Ellington, later to become known as Duke, was born on April 29, 1899 in Washington D.C. to James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy Ellington. Duke and his parents resided with his maternal grandparents. James created blueprints for the United States Navy, and both he and his wife were avid piano players. Despite James playing operatic arias and Daisy favoring parlor songs, many people believe that Duke’s musical talents, though not his primary source of ambition, were etched in his DNA, having been decided for him before he was even born. Duke’s first love was baseball. While his parents encouraged his athletic abilities, they also stimulated his musical side, knowing that the talent was there, but just needed to be mined. At the ripe of age seven, Duke began receiving piano lessons from Marietta Clinkscales. Daisy wanted Duke to be a well-rounded young gentleman, so she also made sure that, alongside his piano lessons, he would be taught manners and elegance. As a result of his refined behavior, grace, and the classy way that he dressed, Duke’s friends gave him the affectionate nickname Duke with the belief that a young boy so noble deserved a title. Growing up, Duke dedicated a balanced amount of time to his piano lessons and to baseball. When he entered high school, Duke got his first job selling peanuts at baseball games. Around the same time, his personal love for music began to develop into what would become one of the greatest legacies in American music history. At the age of fifteen, while working another job as a soda jerk, Duke penned his first composition, “Soda Fountain Rag.” Duke had yet to learn to read and write music, so this composition was created entirely by ear. “I would play the ‘Soda Fountain Rag’ as a one-step, two-step, waltz, tango, and fox trot. Listeners never knew it was the same piece. I was established as having my own repertoire” (Ellington 112). Even at a young age, Duke knew how to manipulate his musical talent, a characteristic that would only become more intense as he learned to harness this talent. Surprisingly, Duke found that he enjoyed writing music more than playing the piano. He would often skip his piano lessons to sneak into a poolroom to listen to other pianists. During those many journeys, though, Duke finally discovered the love of piano that his mother had tried to instill in him. Duke would watch and listen to some of the big names in ragtime piano, including Doc Perry, Harvey Brooks, and Claude Hopkins. The more he listened to these great musicians, the easier Duke found to imitate their music. Duke took hold of this desire and set out to become the musician that he continues to be remembered as today. Duke’s formal musical training began soon after his newfound discovery. His high school music teacher gave him private lessons in harmony, and pianist and band leader Doc Perry taught Duke how to read sheet music and present a style of professionalism. With the advice from other well-known pianists, such as Fats Waller and Sidney Bechet, Duke began playing ragtime piano is clubs and cafes throughout Washington, D.C., becoming so attached to his music that he even turned down a scholarship to the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn. Just three months prior to graduating from high school, Duke dropped out of school, ready to take his talent to professional levels, wanting to share his music with the world. Duke put together his first music group in 1917, and they were known as The Duke’s Serenaders. The group played in Washington, D.C. and in many cities of Virginia, performing for embassy parties and private society balls. The success of The Duke’s Serenaders was uncommon in those times given the racial division of society. The social acceptance that was abundant wherever Duke and his musicians played speaks, entertaining African-American and white audiences, speaks loudly of how revered Duke was becoming. Despite his racial background, people of all races were anxious to hear the great Duke behind his piano. Only a few years later did Duke make the decision to leave Washington, D.C. and move to Harlem, eventually becoming a primary figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Duke’s relocation coincided with the new jazz craze, though Duke and the members of his band had difficulty emerging into the scene, finding themselves against competitive talent. At that time, they only success they found in Harlem was a smattering of house parties. After only a few months, The Duke’s Serenaders returned to Washington, D.C. In 1923, the group was back in Harlem, having been invited to perform at the prestigious Exclusive Club after a successful performance in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the fall of the same year, the band was invited to perform at the Hollywood Club, which led to a four-year engagement, finally providing Duke and his bandmates, who then changed their name to The Washingtonians, the musical stability and notoriety that they had been aiming for. Duke’s career took off. In 1924, only a year after Duke’s name had spread through the music industry like wildfire, Duke made eight records and received composing credits on three of them. The following year was spent writing compositions for television, movies, and “Chocolate Kiddies,” a well-watched television show that presented a range of African-American styles and performers to European audiences. During that time, Duke and his band grew to a ten-piece organization, and with the combined talents of each member, the group, now being referred to as Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra, introduced a new sound to their audiences: a mixture of Ellington’s arrangements, the rhythms associated with the Harlem streets, and the unique tones of the trombone, trumpets, and saxophone. In 1927, Duke reached new musical heights. He and his Orchestra were given a weekly radio broadcast, and famous clientele came in droves to see them at their nightly performances. October of the same year brought with it Duke’s first hit record, an honor that he shared with Adelaide Hall whom Duke had recorded numerous compositions. At twenty-eight years old, Duke had become one of the most famous musicians, revamping the face of jazz and the world of music. Unfortunately, this time in Duke’s life was also one of his lowest as his short marriage with Edna Thompson, with whom he had a son, Mercer, ended permanently when she decided to move back home to Washington, D.C. Regardless of the setbacks that Duke experienced, he continued to rise in fame with his music, having records produced with almost every big record company of the mid-1900s, as well as many of the lesser-known labels. During the 1930s, the Great Depression was taking its toll on many recording artists. Duke and his men survived these years by going on a variety of tours, keeping themselves employed while further spreading their music, which included two separate tours in England. When the 1940s came around, Duke and the Orchestra reached a creative peak that continues to live on in the jazz genre. It was during this time that Duke collaborated with his son, who was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps. The fame and success continued even to his final years. At sixty-seven years old, Duke was performing new concerts, many of which were his original arrangements with themes of Christianity, and released many more records and hit songs. He also made a name for himself in the theatre, earning him a handful of Academy Awards for his compositions in musicals. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, but did not receive it; after his death, the award was given to him posthumously. Duke died on May 24, 1974 from lung cancer and pneumonia, and his funeral was attended by over twelve thousand people. Duke’s final words sum up his legacy: “Music is how I live, why I live and how I will be remembered” (Schuller 50). Sure enough, decades after his death, his legacy continues to live on, a vital part of American culture and heritage. After his death, Duke’s son Mercer kept the Orchestra alive, and when Mercer died, Paul Ellington took over what is now known as the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The orchestra continues to do tours around the world to this day. Duke Wellington was an important part of our musical history, and many critics believe that he was the most important and successful composer of jazz. The proof in these statements can be seen in how Duke’s spirit is alive and well, continuing to inspire amateur musicians and to offer vibrant music to his dedicated audiences. Works Cited Ellington, Duke. Music is My Mistress. 1st ed. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1973. Print. Schuller, Gunther. "Jazz and Composition: The Many Sides of Duke Ellington, the Musics Greatest Composer." Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 46.1 (1992): 36-51. Print. Read More