Duke Ellington Essay

era was born. Musicians loved the thick texture and full sound of a large-scale band, and it pleased composers even more so. Big Band Swing was written to be danced to, and the live band helped that aesthetic visually and audibly. Composers like Ellington had more instruments to compose for and more players to play independent and contrapuntal melodies. Arrangers began to emerge in each band, to guide the many members of the band through the composition. The improvisation-loving jazz players moved

called the Harlem Renaissance, which was basically where most African Americans were noticed for their great talents, such as playing jazz music.  “Some of the most celebrated names in American music regularly performed in Harlem—Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Fats Waller and Cab Calloway, often accompanied by elaborate floor shows.” (Harlem Renaissance,1)   Women were allowed to go to school, but not as long as men were. Schooling also changed like they attend school longer than usually

Ellington group was most the most stable and longest lived big band in jazz history. • Art Tatum contribution were adding and changing chords pop tunes and the most admired piano virtuoso in jazz history. • Mary Lou William knows as the boogie woogie player

Count Basie, was born August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey. He was a gifted pianist, bandleader, and composer. His mother was a pianist and his father was a mellophonist. His mother, not realizing that he would become an amazing pianist and bandleader, started off his journey by giving him his first piano lessons. Later on, William and his family moved to New York, where he was further influenced by James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. In New York, Waller taught Basie organ playing techniques. Further

Another major characteristic of Jazz music is the feel or groove expressed by the artists playing, also known as swing. Although swing is hard to define, similarly to the literature equal that is poetry, Duke Ellington states, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.” (ABC XXX). In another words without swing, jazz is not jazz. Christopher Meeder states, "Many consider this sense of swing to be indescribable...In jazz this sense of swing is accomplished by allowing performers to toy with

Great Migration. With all the fascinating things that we benefited from the Harlem Renaissance represented a rebirth of culture. The Jazz and Blues evolved in this era and were very popular, some of the most famous Jazz and Blues musicians were Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Henry Webb, and Louis Armstrong, along with many other African American singers and composers who became extremely famous during this time. A very well known club was the, “Cotton Club” this was where Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong

When white Americans think of jazz musicians we think new Orleans, sex, drugs, alcohol. Well this is not always the case. Count Basie was from New Jersey and played the piano not the saxophone. He went to New York for his big break in jazz got stranded in Kansas City and became one of the most famous jazz musicians of all time. He led us from big band to bebop. He did not always want to play the piano; he also had a love for drums. Lady’s and Gentlemen please give a warm welcome for The King William

The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic, social, and cultural explosion during the 1920s in Harlem, York. This flourishing of African-American culture was an accomplishment in itself, given the times. The early 1900s was a difficult time for African-American people, and a difficult time for women, so one can imagine the difficulties that a woman of color would have endured. Ella Fitzgerald defied those odds, transformed the face of the jazz world, and paved a way for other African-American women to

Lady of Song". She started as a swing singer, moved to bebop, perfected scat and jazz and could sing modern or classic songs. Artists whose songs she stylized included Louis Armstrong, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington and the Gershwins. Throughout her life she collaborated on more than 250 albums, sold more than 40 million of those albums and won 13 Grammy awards. Her influence soon spread throughout the musical circuit and her singing

rhythmic framework usually involving a walking bass and steady rhythm on the drummer’s ride cymbal. Swing music is the kind of jazz played by Big Bands and characterized by lively rhythms for dancing. This is music associated with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller band played