Duke Ellington: the Music, Politics, and His Story

The article “Jazz and White Critic” by Amiri Baraka brings light to an element of jazz criticism that he is frustrated by. Baraka finds controversy in the ideas white critics write about regarding jazz music. Baraka states, “Most jazz critics have been white Americans, but most important jazz musicians have not been.” In the 1960’s, when Baraka made this statement, jazz was becoming more popularized and socially accepted. African American jazz musicians took a long, strenuous journey over decades to push their music into the spotlight to become one of the most popular music styles in society internationally. The special element of jazz is its raw emotion. Baraka distinguishes between “White Jazz”, music

Duke Ellington composed thousands of pieces throughout his career. Ellington's music made him stand out and allowed his listeners to have many experiences they had never had before. One of his most popular songs was “It Don’t Mean a Thing, if It Ain’t Got That Swing”. Duke Ellington’s song, “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” was written in the summer of 1931. The piece was released on February 2, 1932, on the Brunswick Record label. Ellington hired vocalist, Ivie Anderson, to sing the piece and appear on the Ellington record. A number of Ellington’s hits were sung by Ivie Anderson, but “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” broadened both of the artist's’ fame. This piece proved many of Ellington’s hidden talents. For instance, “this song lifted Ellington out of the category of simply ‘bandleader’ to composer” (). “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” is one of Duke Ellington’s best-known pieces.

African American influence in music has been an ever present and controversial subject in American history. Stemming from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds, large portions of American music was introduced by, and credited to African Americans. Although in many cases, this music was used for entertainment by the masses or majority, contrary to popular belief, black music served a greater purpose than just recreation. Dating all the way back to the beginning of slavery in the U.S. during the 17th century, music has been used to make a statement and send a message. As African American music progressed over the years, there were common themes expressed as the genres evolved. It has been an open letter to the world, documenting and protesting the ongoing oppression faced by blacks in the United States, as well as an outlet for frustration. For many African Americans, the music gave them the only voice that couldn’t be silenced by their oppressors.

He was born in Washington D.C but later on he moved to New York City.

Duke Ellington's pre-eminence in jazz is not only because of the very high aesthetic standard of his output and not simply due to his remarkable abilities as a pianist, composer and bandleader, but also to the fact that he has extended the boundaries of jazz more than any other musician, without abandoning the true essence of the music. Perhaps no other American musician left such a massive and challenging legacy in composition and performance.

Club was the ideal setting for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. It’s “jungle” atmosphere was perfect for the style of music Ellington was expected to play. Ellington remarks

The two were also fortunate and successful enough to be able to travel globally, which certainly enabled even more space for artistic growth and evolution. The two both shared a love of exploring “the tempo of life in foreign countries, to savor the various foods, arts, and music of native people.” Ellington had the upper hand in travels since he began performing a bit earlier than Ailey did, but I do believe that his travels to Europe and North Africa definitely catalyzed the creative push it took to create The River. Traveling is the best thing anyone can do for themselves, but it’s that much more essential for an artist to do too. Ellington was one of the first to introduce Spanish spice into jazz and does so within this composition, presented primarily within the introduction of the ever playful french horn. Because this is still very much a ballet piece, this playfulness is also apparent within the wafting woodwinds, and through the percussive instrumentation of what might be the glockenspiel. Seeing as this was Ellington’s first composition of symphonic scale, the variety of sounds and moods is extensive, and its complexity would otherwise might not have been as thorough had he not traveled as much as he did. Shortly afterwards in 1971, Ailey choreographed

There were many jazz musicians. Louis Armstrong is one of the most important jazz figures. Louis Armstrong is one of the first great soloists in the 1920’s musicians. His career rose in New Orleans. He influenced other jazz musicians by his fearless trumpet styles and distinctive vocals. Louis gave jazz music a purpose. He spread jazz throughout the world. Fletcher Henderson also influenced jazz music. He was an extraordinary musician and he impacted jazz music immensely. Without the jazz musicians, jazz music would not have been possible. With the assistance of the jazz musicians, the music industry

Duke Ellington had an early start into the world of music. At the age of four, he listened to his mother play a tune known as “ The Rosary” and cried after stating how pretty the music was (Gottlieb 2012). This was the beginning of his interest in music. At the age of fifteen, while working at a soda fountain, he wrote his first song “Soda Fountain Rag,” and at his late teens was making enough music to help his parents afford a better house. He was even witnessed as playing his first professional gig so long

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader of a jazz orchestra. Duke’s career spanned over half a century during which he composed thousands of songs, and was a member in numerous bands. Duke Ellington was one of if not the greatest musician during the Harlem Renaissance.

His contributions “ended one jazz era and started a new one” (Louis). Armstrong contributed to jazz by incorporating his own style of music. He was a soloist who played the cornet, trumpet, and sung. He created the Blues scale and incorporated a new feeling called the “Bleusy” feeling to Jazz. Bleusy was different from of music because it was being expressed more than the music itself. His work was also improvised, which means that he did not have a planned piece to play if he was performing. The pieces he played were made up on the spot which makes his pieces more expressive and in the moment. He turned jazz into an individual improvisation which did not break away from the ensemble. While swaying from the standard jazz form, he also transformed jazz from polyphony to solos. One of his most famous songs “Hotter Than That”

Who was Miles Davis and why was he such an important element in the music of Jazz? Miles Davis, as we would know him, was born Miles Dewey Davis in Alton, Illinois on the 25th of May 1926 to a middle-class black family.. A couple of years later, Miles went on to St. Louis where he grew up. Since he was a youngster, Miles' hobby was to collect records and play them over without getting tired of them. Since his family knew Miles was so interested in the music of his time, primarily Jazz, for his thirteenth birthday Miles received his first trumpet, although he had been playing since the age of nine. With this Miles began to practice and play his trumpet along with his records. Who would have known that just three years later, at the

during this time he quickly became a part of the Harlem Renaissance. Four years later,

Duke Ellington managed his band for almost 50 years making prodigious music and using amazing instruments. He toured all over Europe, he managed to compose an orchestra without a baton, how amazing is that. In his whole music career, he composed about 2000 pieces and won 12 Grammy

Langston Hughes compositions are known for being the voice of the Harlem Renaissance. A considerable number of his written work shared the feelings of that time. This particular poem "Trumpet Player" mirrors that music can lift the agony remembered, but one always remembers the hardships. The poem shares that freed blacks still experienced the impacts of slavery. Because of this, they held onto music as a method for soothing the agony they persevered.