Which famous producer worked with Duke Ellington. The Brilliant Duke of Jazz - Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington - Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington - was born in Washington on April 29, 1899, died on May 24, 1974 in New York. Famous experimental composer, virtuoso pianist, arranger, leader of the legendary orchestra, “pillar” and master of American jazz. Posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Ellington managed to keep his band together during the difficult post-war period for big bands, which brought with it new moods and musical tastes. When things got really tough, Ellington paid the soloists from his composer fees. This was not only gratitude and a desire to support his sidemen, but probably also a desire to preserve the opportunity to work in his own compositional style, when, in fact, music is born only during rehearsals. “The band itself was his instrument,” said Billy Strayhorn. Ellington needed to hear the orchestra perform his composition. Only after this could he refine it, remove or add passages, and strengthen the role of individual solos.

The return of Duke and his band took place in 1956 at the Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island. The incredible solos of tenor saxophonist Paul Gonzalves in "Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue", Johnny Hodges in "Jeep's Blues" on alto saxophone, and the deafening ovation of the audience became a jazz legend. In the same year, Duke appeared on the cover of Time. In 1959, at the request of Otto Preminger, he first wrote the full soundtrack for the mainstream film "Anatomy of a Murder" starring Jimmy Stewart and had previously contributed to the composition of music for television and films (including the famous composition "Black and. Tan Fantasy" for the 1929 short film of the same name.) The soundtrack to the film "Paris Blues" followed in 1961, starring Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier as jazz musicians living in Paris.

Ellington's first foreign performance took place in 1933 in England. The entire 60s are spent on long overseas tours, including diplomatic trips at the request of the US State Department. Ellington, together with Strayhorn, conveys his impressions of travel in amazing long compositions, including “Far East Suite” from 1966. Together they compose works dedicated to the works of the classics who influenced them. So, in 1963, variations on the theme of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” appeared. And in 1957, the suite “Such Sweet Thunder”, inspired by the work of Shakespeare, was recorded. In collaboration with Ella Fitzgerald, albums are being released that continue the Songbook series by producer Norman Granz.

Being an excellent pianist, Ellington recorded joint albums in this capacity with John Coltrane (1963), Coleman Hawkins (1963) and Frank Sinatra. The same year, the album "Money Jungle" was released, recorded with Charles Mingus and Max Roach. In 1965, his concert of sacred music (“First Sacred Concert”) was performed for the first time at Grace Cathedral (San Francisco). Increasingly turning to religious themes in his later years, Ellington would complete the trilogy with the Second (1968) and Third (1973) concertos.

During his life, Duke received many awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest US civilian award. In 1965, he was recommended for the Pulitzer Prize for his 40 years of contribution to the development of the art of music, but the commission rejected the application. This would have upset anyone, but Ellington reacted this way: “Fate was kind to me. She did not allow fame to spoil me at such a young age.” He was 66 then.

Ellington did not rest on his laurels and did not stop composing music. When asked about his “best works,” he usually answered that they would be “the next five, which are already on the way.” However - for his fans - he always included several of his standards in every performance. Already dying, he continued to write the opera buffa "Queenie Pie".

Duke died at the age of 75 on May 24, 1974. The service took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in New York. Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. In 1976, his longtime companion Beatrice "Evie" Ellis was buried next to him. Duke's only son, Mercer Kennedy Ellington, not only took over the leadership of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, but also took care of preserving and disseminating the legacy of his art. Mercer Ellington died on February 8, 1996 in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 76. Duke's only sister, Ruth Ellington Boatwright, still lives in New York. Ruth and Mercer were able to preserve the memorabilia and documents - evidence of Duke Ellington's amazing creative life and talent - and donated them to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, where they remain to this day.

Music is what helps you take your mind off the hustle and bustle of gray days and find strength even in the most difficult situations. Therefore, it is not surprising that composers, musicians and singers have been revered at all times - both in moments of joy and in hours of turmoil.

It would be fair to say that upbeat rhythmic music, in particular jazz, works best to lift your mood. This fact explains why the names of such musicians as Ray Brown, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington are known to this day.

Childhood and youth

Edward Kennedy (that is the actual name of the outstanding jazzman) was born in the capital of the United States of America. This happened on April 29, 1899. The boy was lucky enough to be born into the family of White House butler James Edward Ellington and his wife Daisy Kennedy Ellington. His father's position protected the boy from the problems that the black population of America faced in those years.

Literally from the cradle, Edward’s mother began teaching him how to play the keyboard (she herself played quite well, and sometimes even performed at church and parish meetings). At the age of nine, a more experienced piano teacher was hired for the child.

The boy began to write his own works already in 1910. The first work that has survived to this day is called Soda Fontain Rag. This composition was written in 1914. In Soda Fontain Rag you can see Kennedy's emerging interest in dance music (particularly ragtime) at that time.

After graduating from a specialized art school, Edward got a job as a poster artist. The work was not dusty, the income was sufficient - the young guy was regularly entrusted with orders coming from the state administration, but this activity did not bring Kennedy the same pleasure that playing the piano brought. As a result, Edward gave up art, even refusing a position at the Pratt Institute.

Since 1917, young Kennedy has made his living from music, while simultaneously learning the nuances of the skill from professional metropolitan piano players.

Music

Edward put together his first team in 1919. In addition to Kennedy himself, the band included saxophonist Otto Hardwick and drummer Sonny Greer. A little later they were joined by trumpeter Arthur Watsol.

One day, their performance was heard by the owner of a New York bar, who came to the capital on business. He offered the guys a contract, according to which they would have to perform for him for several years, and the owner of the bar would guarantee the musicians an audience and good remuneration. Kennedy and the company agreed and already in 1922 began performing at Barron's bar in Harlem as the Washingtonians quartet.

They started talking about the guys. They began to be invited to perform in other institutions, for example, at the Hollywood Club, located in Time Square. The fees allowed Edward to continue studying with local recognized keyboard masters.

The success of the Washingtonians provided the quartet members with the opportunity to meet the local public - both creative and influential people. To fit in with the New Yorkers, Kennedy began to dress in bright and expensive clothes, for which he received the playful nickname “Duke” (translated as “Duke”) from his comrades.

In 1926, Edward met Irwin Mills, who later became the musician's manager. It was Mills who advised the guy to use a creative pseudonym, based on his father’s nickname and surname, instead of his real name. Also on Irwin's advice, Duke renamed the sprawling jazz ensemble "The Washingtonians" to "Duke Ellington and His Orchestra."

In 1927, Ellington and his team moved to the New York jazz club Cotton Club, where they performed until their first concert tour across the country. Songs such as Creole Love Call, Black and Tan Fantasy and The Mooche were written during this time period.

In 1929, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra performed at the Florenz Ziegfeld Musical Theater. At the same time, the hit composition Mood Indigo was recorded at the recording studio RCA Records (now part of Sony Music Entertainment), and other compositions of the orchestra could often be heard on the radio live.

In 1931, the first tour of Ellington's jazz ensemble took place. A year later, Duke performed with the orchestra at Columbia University. It is believed that this period of the musician’s life was the entrance to the peak of his career, since it was then that he wrote his legendary works It don`t mean a thing (“Everything is meaningless”) and Star-crossed lovers (“Unhappy lovers”).

In fact, Duke became the progenitor of the swing genre, writing the compositions Stormy Weather and Sophisticated Lady in 1933. Skillfully using the personal characteristics of the musicians, Ellington achieved an individual, incomparable sound. The main musicians in Duke's team are saxophonist John Hodges, trumpeter Frank Jenkins and trombonist Juan Tizol.

In 1933, Duke and his musicians went on their first European tour, the main event of which was a performance at the London Palladium concert hall. During the performance of Duke Ellington and his orchestra, people of royal blood were present in the hall, with whom Duke had the opportunity to communicate afterwards.

Inspired by the success of the European tour, the musicians set off on a new one - this time first in South America and then in North America. At the end of the tour, Ellington writes a new hit - the composition Caravan. After its release, Duke receives the title of the first truly American composer.

But the lingering white streak was replaced by a black one - in 1935, Duke’s mother died. This seriously affected the musician - Ellington began to experience a creative crisis. However, Duke managed to overcome it by writing the composition Reminising in Tempo, which was seriously different from anything Duke had done before.

In 1936, Ellington wrote music for the first time for a film - this film was a comedy by Sam Wood starring the comedians the Marx Brothers. In 1938, Duke worked as a conductor of the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, which performed at the St. Regis Hotel.

A year later, new musicians joined Ellington's team in the person of tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and double bassist Jim Blanton. The two guys changed the sound of Duke's orchestra, which inspired a new European tour. The musician's skill was highly appreciated by the English conductor Leopold Stokowski and the Russian composer.

In 1942, Ellington wrote music for the film “Cabin in the Clouds,” and in January of the following year he gathered a full Carnegie Hall concert hall in New York. Proceeds from the concert went to support the Soviet Union during World War II.

After World War II, public interest in jazz began to decline - people were plunged into a state of depression and constant fear. For some time, Duke managed to perform and pay royalties to the artists (sometimes even from his own pocket), but in the end, the musicians, disillusioned with everything, went their separate ways. Ellington began making a living by doing part-time work writing music for films.

However, in 1956, Duke managed to make a spectacular return to jazz, performing at the Newport genre festival. Together with arranger William Strayhorn and new performers, Ellington delighted listeners with such compositions as Lady Mac and Half the Fun, based on the works of .

The sixties of the last century became the second peak in the musician’s career - during this period, Duke was awarded eleven Grammy awards in a row. In 1969, Ellington was awarded the Order of Liberty. The US President himself presented the award to Duke. It is worth noting that three years earlier, Ellington was personally awarded by another president -.

Personal life

Duke got married quite early - on July 2, 1918 (at that time the guy was nineteen). His wife was Edna Thompson, with whom Ellington lived until the end of his days.

Death

Duke first felt ill while working on the music for the film “Mind Swap,” but the musician did not pay serious attention to it then. In 1973, Ellington was diagnosed with lung cancer. The next year he caught pneumonia and fell ill.

On May 24, 1974, the jazzman passed away. Ellington was buried three days later in New York's oldest cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery, located in the Bronx.

Duke was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize, and in 1976 the Center in his name was created at St. Peter's Lutheran Church. The center is decorated with photographs highlighting the brightest moments of the musician’s biography.

Discography

• 1940 – The Okeh Ellington
• 1944 - Black, Brown & Beige
• 1952 - This Is Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
• 1957 - In A Mellotone
• 1959 - Festival Session
• 1964 - The Great London Concerts
• 1964 - One O'Clock Jump
• 1968 - And Mother Called Him Bill
• 1972 - The Ellington Suites

Have you ever heard Duke Ellington? I might as well ask you if you have heard Chopin. But the old Duke is really compared with. Who is this black classic of the twentieth century?

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When you see the release date of his first album, it is difficult to imagine that this is even possible, and when you hear these, albeit weak, wheezing and floating sounds of an old recording, you are surprised at the purity, pressure and beauty of the sound of his orchestra.

Let's just say: now it can be called a classic. He played so many songs that it seems impossible to play even more. And then he was a Jazzman! Yes, yes, with a capital letter!

He got his nickname back in school... oh yeah, “Duke” is not a name. This is a nickname. He was nicknamed “Duke” either because of some excessive self-confidence and foppishness, or because of his love for dandy outfits. It was there at school that he wrote his first composition. As a result, three... no, not recording studios, but three girls at once became interested in him. For him, this was a completely life-affirming result, and he decided to become a jazz pianist.

Creole-Love-Call.mp3″]

No, life was so bad for a black boy who was born in 1899. His father was a butler and served for a time in the White House. His name was James Edward, after the child's father they named Edward Kennedy Ellington. He grew up in prosperity, peace and stability, which few of his peers had access to.

Duke played far more than just jazz. He achieved a lot in composing music for worship, and there was a reason for this: his mother was a deeply religious woman, played the piano well and instilled in her tenderly loving child also a love of both music and religion.

It seems a little strange now, but the man who recorded more music albums than anyone else on the planet in his youth wanted to be not a musician, but an artist.

Once at school, he even won a competition for the best poster in the city of Washington. And who knows how the history of modern music would have developed if, over time, his love for colors had not begun to cool.

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All this time he continued to study music and studied music theory, and therefore in 1917 he finally set out to become a professional musician. Around the same year, he began to informally study with famous Washington musicians and began leading some ensembles.

In the early twenties he founded his first jazz orchestra, which was called the Washingtonians. If we keep in mind that he himself was then a little over twenty, then the result is quite impressive! Especially considering that after some time they agreed to be accepted into the Cotton Club, where they began to play.

That's just... Is that really how he founded it? There is a version that he was originally part of the Washingtonians quintet, but it was not immediately that he began to occupy a leadership position in it.

Of course, it would not be an exaggeration to say that if there had been no Duke Ellington in jazz music of the 20th century, its fate could have been completely different. His strong-willed character and unshakable belief in his own exclusivity were so strong that they elevated Ellington to the very top, from where he looked down on other performers. Possessing tenacity, desperate determination and a complex character, he did not recognize authority, and this is what allowed him to rise above everyone and leave behind a huge layer of jazz music, in demand and still performed all over the world. Ellington's extraordinary charisma and subtle sense of style did their job - there is no more revered jazz musician. And this is quite natural, because this is exactly what he strived for all his life - to become a world celebrity, a person whom the whole world worships.

Brief biography

Oddly enough, “Duke” is not the musician’s native name. The family into which a boy was born on January 5, 1897 named him Edward Kennedy Ellington. It was with this name that he lived throughout his childhood and youth, feeling his superiority over those around him. Considering himself an outstanding personality, the little boy called himself a noble duke (noble title), and this nickname firmly stuck to him for the rest of his life. So strong that it actually became his real name.

Ellington's childhood passed in an atmosphere of universal love and prosperity. Father - James Edward, spared no effort to earn as much money as possible, which he spent with incredible ease. Mother, Daisy Kennedy, never needed for anything, so it is quite natural that Duke Ellington’s childhood was more prosperous than that of many “colored” people of that time. It was Daisy Kennedy who inspired the boy that he would become a world celebrity, and it was thanks to this suggestion that he succeeded.

At the age of seven, Duke began to be taught music and playing the piano, in which he showed absolutely no interest, studying exactly as much as he was asked to do. However, these classes contributed to the fact that when Ellington finally became interested in music and chose this particular musical instrument.

At the age of 14, he began to really get involved in music and achieved some success. Lacking virtuoso technique and sufficient education, Duke Ellington nevertheless became a regular at the bars where he had considerable success as a performer.

Duke never showed interest in studying, so he was never able to receive a normal education. While studying at Armstrong Technical High School, Duke quit his classes and began to live for his own pleasure.

At the age of 17, he began visiting the House of True Reformers, where a small ensemble gathered. Soon the young man became a regular participant and at the same time gradually learned some of the basics of the theory. It was with this team that in 1922 Ellington set off to conquer New York.

Thanks to clarinetist Will Sweatman, the entire ensemble already in 1923 worked at the most prestigious institution in New York - the Lafayette Theater. Unfortunately, they failed to gain a foothold in the city, so the team had to return to their native Washington with nothing.

Deciding to continue what they started, the ensemble takes the sonorous name “Washington Black Sox Orchestra” and soon they manage to find work in Atlantic City. Soon, thanks to their acquaintance with singer Ada Smith, the ensemble moved to New York again, this time to the Barrons Exclusive Club, a place of concentration of the black elite. After some time, they get a job at the Hollywood Inn, and Duke Ellington becomes the leader of the ensemble, who begins to work on changing the composition and style of the music performed. Looking for performers primarily from New Orleans, he followed the influence of the times, since people who played in a hot style style were in vogue. At the same time, he tried to compose music, meeting Joe Trent, a well-connected poet and composer. On February 22, 1924, Ellington became the official leader of the Washingtonians ensemble.

Unfortunately, all outstanding black musical groups and individual performers of that time were under the patronage of gangsters. So Ellington had to think about how to get out of this bondage. It couldn’t have come at a better time when he met Irving Mills, a very energetic publisher who saw a future celebrity in Duke. He became a powerful patron for Ellington, and he eventually made him a star known throughout the world. Without his help, the Washingtonians would have been content with performing in nightclubs and doing odd jobs. It was thanks to Mills that Ellington began to compose his own compositions in much larger numbers, which played an important role in the band’s fame. By 1927, the group began to be called “Duke Ellington and His Orchestra” - now all decisions were made only by Ellington, and the members had no voting rights. But not one of them left the orchestra, and this fact alone speaks of Duke’s great skill as a leader.

Soon the orchestra's performances moved to the Cotton Club, the most popular nightclub in Harlem.

In 1929, Ellington's orchestra became very famous, his name often appeared in newspapers, and the musical level of the group was rated very highly. Since 1931, the orchestra began touring, traveling and giving concerts throughout Europe. Duke begins to write his own works and gains recognition, including as a composer.

In 1950, an irreparable thing happened for Ellington - due to the fact that jazz was gradually falling into oblivion, his orchestra turned out to be of no use to anyone, and talented musicians began to leave it. But after 6 years everything changed - a renewed interest in jazz allowed Duke to regain its former glory. New contracts, tours and concert recordings bring Ellington worldwide fame.

Over the following years, Elington performed with his orchestra around the globe, giving performances in Japan, Great Britain, Ethiopia, the USA, the Soviet Union and many other countries.

Ellingon lived to be 75 years old, remaining faithful to music until the very last moment, considering it the only thing worthy of love. He died in 1974 from lung cancer, and this death was a tragedy for the whole world.

Interesting facts

• The first teacher who taught Duke music was Marietta Clinkscales, who lived in a neighboring house (clink - clinking glasses, scale - musical scale).
• Duke hated formal education. Therefore, I always refused offers to graduate from any music school.

• Often he chose soloists for specific works solely because of their inherent manner of performance.
• Ellington's first musical mentor was pianist Willie "Lion" Smith. From him Duke adopted some of the characteristic features of his performance.
• Touring all over the world, he considered New York his home - the place where he first felt part of an elite society.
• His wife was Edna Thompson, a neighbor girl whom he met in school. Having married in 1918, a year later they celebrated the birth of their son, whom they named Mercer.
• The playing style of Ellington's ensemble "The Washingtonians" was largely shaped by the influence of trumpeter Bubber Miley - it was he who became a source of new ideas for Duke, producing magnificent musical phrases and turns.
• Duke simply adored power and his position as a leader. The musicians who worked with him noted that he always remained in control, no matter what happened around him.

• Freddy Guy - performer banjo – played with Ellington for 24 years. He was the only one of the participants whom Duke allowed to visit him.
• Duke rarely praised his musicians.
• Thanks to clarinetist Sidney Bechet, Ellington's ensemble was able to master the New Orleans jazz style, which contributed to the rapid success of this group.
• Ellington was an excellent driver, but preferred to use the driving services of his musician, Harry Carney.
• Duke's impresario, Irving Mills, profited ungodly from Ellington, receiving money not only for publishing activities, but also for copyrights. Every piece Duke composed was contractually owned by Mills.
• At one time his manager was Joe Glaser, a man with criminal connections who worked with such stars as Louis Armstrong And Billie Holliday .
• He won 11 times and was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Music.

• Ellington wrote his only book, an autobiography, Music is My Beloved. For it he received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize.
• The famous trombonist and composer Juan Tizol worked for 15 years in the Duke Ellington orchestra. Possessing vast musical experience, he often conducted orchestra rehearsals instead of Duke.
• Many of Duke's musicians came from poor families, spoke slang, and did not shy away from alcohol and drugs. But because of their performance skills and Ellington's generosity, they worked in his orchestra for many years.
• In his last days, Ellington held on only thanks to injections, continuing to continuously work on music.

Best compositions

"Take The "A" Train"- a wonderful melody with an easily recognizable imitation of a train at the very beginning of the brass instruments immediately fell in love with listeners and became one of the things in the repertoire of every jazz band.

"Take The "A" Train" (listen)

"Satin Doll"– the leisurely theme of the saxophones, interrupted by inserts of brass, and then a sudden “tutti”, leaves the impression of some kind of understatement. A truly unusual jazz composition.

"Satin Doll" (listen)

"C-Jam Blues"– the title itself already contains the essence of the work – these are simple chants and sequences around the note “C”, performed by various instruments.

"C-Jam Blues" (listen)

"Caravan"- the most famous composition written in 1936.

"Caravan" (listen)

As happens quite often, people who have not been associated with religion all their lives become ardent adherents of the faith in adulthood. The same thing happened with Duke. Of course, as a child he attended church quite often, and his mother loved to talk with him about God. But until early 1950 there was not the slightest hint that Ellington was interested in religion. No matter how strange it may sound, in the mid-50s, Duke declared that he was “God’s messenger” and was simply obliged to devote the rest of his life to serving the Lord. According to numerous testimonies of his friends, he actually began to sit with the Bible until late at night.

For that time, a special understanding of faith in God was adopted - a person had to be forgiving, kind and not remember the evil done to him by other people. This is exactly what Ellington became. In some of his works he promoted these ideas, for example in the composition "Black, Brown and Beige". But there was no systematic order until 1965, when he was offered what he dreamed of. He received a large order for sacred music from a priest from San Francisco, rector of the Cathedral of Our Lord's Grace. The church had just opened, and it needed an advertising campaign, and a concert by such a star as Duke, and even with specially composed works, was supposed to create a sensation.

Taking up the work, he composed his First Brass Concerto, performed in church in 1965. The plays included in it are written in various styles: jazz, choral music and vocal arias. Despite some awkwardness of the numbers, the concert was, on the whole, a success and inspired Ellington to write the next cycle.

In 1968, the premiere of the Second Spiritual Concert took place. Unfortunately, due to the enormous length (as much as 80 minutes), boring drawn-out works and primitive music, the concert was a failure. In addition, Ellington, acting as a poet and libretto writer, turned out to be a rather poor writer. All the texts of the concert are extremely banal and are replete with inappropriate jokes and witticisms.

The third brass concerto was performed in 1973. Ellington was asked to host the premiere at Westminster Abbey and he immediately agreed. This speech was timed to coincide with United Nations Day. All the works of the concert are permeated with themes of love, and the music in it is of much better quality than before.

Films with Duke Ellington and his music

Like any self-respecting jazz musician, Ellington has appeared in many films, shows and TV series. This was a mandatory condition of that time, otherwise it was simply impossible to remain at the zenith of fame. In addition, he wrote 7 complete soundtracks for films, and in 1952 he even tried himself as one of the directors in the TV series “Today”.

• "Check and Double Check" (1930)
• "Advice to the Lovelorn" (1933)
• "Murder at the Vanities" (1934)
• "Air Force" (1943)
• "The Mouse Comes to Dinner" (1945)
• "This Could Be the Night" (1957)
• "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959)
• "Paris Blues" (1961)
• "Change of Consciousness" (1969)
• "Teresa la ladra" (1973)
• "Reborn" (1981)
• "Envoyez les violons" (1988)
• "Minority Report" (2002)
• "Nature Photographs" (2016)
• "Darker Than You Think" (2017)

Despite his obvious contribution to world art, Ellington's legacy is highly controversial. Along with brilliant things that come from the depths of the soul, one can find works from him that are very superficial both in terms of music and in terms of text. And some, such as Spiritual concerts or large author's suites, are usually completely ignored by music critics, as if they do not exist.

The thing is that Duke rarely listened to anyone's advice. He always did what his heart told him to do - and he produced amazing music that made him a jazz master of the first magnitude. But sometimes another part of him came into play, which wanted to compete with the classical musicians of Europe, recognized by the world. Then things came out from his pen in which he did not invest himself. You can’t call them copied, but you don’t feel Ellington’s inner world in them either.

Where the composer's skill truly showed itself was in the dozens, if not hundreds, of short jazz works. Here he fully revealed his creative potential and it was for these compositions that he became a recognized music legend, a person without whom modern jazz would look completely different.

Ellington received enormous help from his musicians. Many ideas, melodies, and sometimes entire works were born in the minds of its performers. And Duke masterfully created outstanding works based on them, full of jazz fire and inner strength. The very works for which we love him.

Video: listen to Duke Ellington