Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of
Sony Music Entertainment, celebrates the life and music of Edward Kennedy
"Duke" Ellington, honoring the American composer as Artist of the
Month for Black History Month, February 2014.
A
century ago, in 1914, a teenage Duke Ellington, working in Washington DC as a
soda jerk by day and aspirant jazz musician by night, penned his first
composition, "Soda Fountain Rag," laying the cornerstone for one of
the most expansive and important canons of American music to emerge in the 20th
century.
The
abiding romantic power of Duke Ellington's music can be seen, heard and felt in
the acclaimed "American Hustle," one of this year's Best Picture
Oscar nominees, which uses "Jeep's Blues," as a key element in the
film's soundtrack. Cowritten by Ellington
and saxophonist Johnny Hodges, "Jeep's Blues" was first recorded in
1938 with the "American Hustle" version coming from Ellington At
Newport 1956, an electrifying live album that continues to bring new audiences
to Ellington's music.
As
further demonstration of Ellington's enduring genius, a contemporary hit
Broadway musical, "After Midnight," features Duke's music played by a
17-piece band, handpicked by Wynton Marsalis and is currently starring
Fantasia. "After Midnight"
opened in November to rave reviews testifying to the electrifying qualities of
Duke's music: "The #1 Broadway Musical of the Year!" (New York
Magazine); "Smoldering! A sleek, elegant tribute to Duke Ellington and the
glory days of the Cotton Club that brings class back to Broadway. You can't
help but THRILL!" (New York Post); "Dazzling!" (Associated
Press).
Moving
from Washington, DC to New York City, Duke Ellington formed his own orchestra
in 1923, becoming a leading musical figure in the Harlem Renaissance, a
cultural movement embracing and showcasing the works of African-American
writers, poets, visual artists, popular entertainers, dancers, composers and
musicians.
Duke
Ellington led his own orchestra from 1923 until his death in 1974, often
performing 50 weeks a year, writing new compositions in a hotel room one night,
rehearsing them with his group and performing them for a live audience the
next.
During
the half century he made music, Duke Ellington wrote more than 1,000 songs as
well as film soundtracks (his score for Otto Preminger's "Anatomy of a
Murder" broke new cultural and aesthetic ground) and full-length concert
suites. While many of his own
compositions--"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated
Lady," "Mood Indigo," "Solitude," "In A Mellow Tone,"
"Satin Doll"--have become standards and evergreens, Ellington and his
Orchestra were also responsible for introducing songs like "Caravan"
and "Take the 'A' Train" to the world.
While an
undeniable force in shaping the history of jazz, Duke Ellington's music is,
according to the composer/recording artist, "beyond category."
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