Its incredibly simple melody makes it ideal for beginner musicians and jam session settings: in its most basic form, it only contains two notes – C and G. The original, riff-based tune was probably thought-up by clarinettist Barney Bigard. 7 ) “Part IV a.k.a. Learn how your comment data is processed. Duke Ellington was around 27 years old when his first singled charted. The Duke Ellington discography contains more than a few all-time classic albums and, while his music is often described as “beyond category”, Ellington’s own compositions have proved incredibly popular with all types of jazz musicians, and they continue to be performed and recorded extensively as part of the standard repertoire. Caravan. This whole album shows that Duke still “had it” as a writer, even after Strayhorn’s passing. Join the mailing list for tools, resources & ideas - all free, Join the Jazzfuel newsletter and get the free PDF in your inbox today. 4 ) “Solitude,” 1934 (Duke Ellington Orchestra). Sophisticated Lady was the #2 song in 1933 in the Pop charts. His debut album was a critically acclaimed duo recording with New York pianist Michael Kanan. Jazzfuel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Ellington was an outstanding composer. (a featured ensemble section written in rhythmic unison for a section of a big band) from all of the saxophones. This was recorded less than 2 weeks before Ellington’s celebrated collaboration with John Coltrane, and collective these two albums demonstrate Duke’s funky piano and era-bending versatility. Your email address will not be published. Available with an Apple Music subscription. In 1939, Ellington offered Strayhorn a job with his orchestra and invited him to relocate to New York City. The song was performed by Duke Ellington. Lyrics were later added by Irving Mills, Duke Ellington’s manager at the time. “Cotton Tail” is an uptempo number that was recorded in 1940. His last appearance in the charts was 1945. Ellington wrote an ambitious three-part suite called B, – the sort of extended work usually tackled by classical, rather than jazz, composers – for his first concert at New York’s hallowed Carnegie Hall in January 1943. I'm Beginning to See the Light - Duke Ellington, Hodges, Johnny; $0.99 on iTunes 9. Try disabling any ad blockers and refreshing this page. With visions of Ellingtonia still dancing in my head, I figured I would compile a list here of personal favorites. This is Johnny Hodges.”. Duke Ellington (Edward Kennedy Ellington, April 29, 1899 - May 24, 1974) was an American jazz composer, pianist and bandleader, one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music. Strayhorn was classically trained and provided lyrics, compositions, arrangements and occasional piano for the Orchestra. 10 ) “Blues for New Orleans” from New Orleans Suite, 1970 (Duke Ellington Orchestra). Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits at Discogs. He had chart topping singles covering a span of 20 years. Required fields are marked *. Looking for ways to grow your career as a jazz musician. Duke Ellington composed over 3000 songs, including: "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing", "Sophisticated Lady", "… read more How liberally should Billy Strayhorn be represented on a list like this? Rockin’ indeed. ‎Duke Ellington was the most important composer in the history of jazz as well as being a bandleader who held his large group together continuously for almost 50 years. 16 tracks (64:19). “God of love, please look down and see my people through”. This is a segment from the film Reveille with Beverly from 1943; the song was composed in 1939. Duke Ellington’s Best Songs As picked by the jam community, 2011–2015 ... Duke Ellington. Ellington and the Cotton Club were at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance, an explosion of culture, art and intellectualism centred around the African American community in Harlem, an area of Manhattan, in the 1920s. “Satin Doll” was written with Billy Strayhorn, who was Ellington’s close collaborator for almost 30 years. For both textural depth and maximizing the uniqueness of the solo voices available to him (in this case Juan Tizol, Tricky Sam Nanton and Jimmy Blanton) this is the “desert island” choice. One interpretation of this, in the context of the song and its lyrics, might be the idea that jazz can be complex or technically impressive, but it remains essentially worthless without those magical, hard-to-define ingredients: real feeling, attitude and swing. This haunting piece is probably my favorite new composition from the final 15 (maybe 20?) One famous edition of the Orchestra is now known as the Blanton-Webster band, which recorded extensively between approximately 1940-41, and which notably featured tenor saxophone giant Ben Webster and double bassist Jimmy Blanton. Duke Ellington wrote a number of songs especially for Hodges, who was nicknamed “Rabbit” or sometimes “Jeep”, including “Jeep’s Blues” and “Hodge Podge”. The song is also reprised, at various tempos, throughout the 1965 album Concert of Sacred Music, which Ellington described as “the most important thing I have ever done”. Duke Ellington. It is one of the attractions: when it ceases to be dangerous you don't want it." In 1938 Duke Ellington was a musical celebrity at the height of the swing era. The Ellington Centenary in 1999 brought renewed attention to a unique musical legacy, producing a … The refinement of Ellington’s swing feel can be heard vividly here (amidst some great soloing by Barney Bigard and Tricky Sam Nanton); as much credit as Jimmy Blanton deservedly gets for holding down the band’s bottom end a few years later, Wellman Braud was no slouch either, as we can hear with his infectious hook-up with longtime drummer Sonny Greer. Duke Ellington Duke Ellington biography and discography. Duke Ellington, American pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. From 13 people In a Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington. Of course, being such a prolific composer, there are many more out the that you can discover. This is a collection of some of those early singles — my favourite being The Mooche.It’s not my favourite album by a long stretch, but it’s unquestionably instrumental in showing listeners where it all started. Duke Ellington - The Official Web Site Official site maintained by CMG Music. Includes biography, photos and quotes by and about Ellington. It's a fine sampling of Ellington's most familiar melodies and works as a good introduction for novices. Ellington wrote an ambitious three-part suite called Black, Brown and Beige – the sort of extended work usually tackled by classical, rather than jazz, composers – for his first concert at New York’s hallowed Carnegie Hall in January 1943. Ivie Anderson, who sang with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for a decade, provided vocals on the original recording. Listen free to Duke Ellington – 16 Most Requested Songs (It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), In A Sentimental Mood and more). Duke Ellington showed musical talent from an early age, although he was not initially convinced that music was his calling. Clarinettist Barney Bigard was the clarinet soloist on the original recording and gets a credit as co-composer. Listen to Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Radio, free! Strayhorn's fruitful partnership with Ellington lasted 30 years, but the most famous song it yielded was written shortly after the two met. Complete your Duke Ellington collection. 9 ) “Isfahan” from Far East Suite, 1966 (Duke Ellington Orchestra). A major figure in the history of jazz music, Duke Ellington's career spanned more than half a century, during which time he composed thousands of songs … Let our team of jazz professionals send informative jazz-related content to your inbox each week... We respect your privacy. This Newport Jazz Festival recording is considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and also includes the legendary 27-chorus blues solo by tenor player Paul Gonsalves on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue”. Required fields are marked *. Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born on 29 April 1899 in Washington D.C. As well as leading his famed orchestra from the piano chair, he is considered by many to be the greatest jazz composer in history. Thanks for checking out this countdown of 10 of the best Duke Ellington songs of all time. Find Duke Ellington song information on AllMusic. He did, however, compose a number of the Duke Ellington band’s best-loved songs, including “Chelsea Bridge” and “Take the ‘A’ Train”, which was the Orchestra’s theme tune. There was some discussion of his life, persona and relationships and all of that is fine and good, but I was there to talk about the music, a subject I’ll gladly get into at any time. See if Duke made the list of most famous people with first name Duke. Mood Indigo is a classic song from the band’s early period. And soulful too, especially with Bubber Miley’s famous wah-wah trumpet playing. Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra - Pandora. Although large aggregations had begun to appear in the late teens, these were dance orchestras playing the popular songs and novelty pieces of the day, with nary a smattering of jazz. At 15, whilst working as a soda dispenser, he wrote “Soda Fountain Rag”, despite the fact that he could not yet read music. “Come Sunday”, a beautiful, spiritual-style ballad, is one of the key themes of the piece’s first movement. Duke Ellington was the most important composer in the history of jazz as well as being a bandleader who held his large group together continuously for almost 50 years. Ellington was always inventive and unconventional when it came to orchestration, and on this one he voiced the generally higher-pitched clarinet at the bottom of a three-horn frontline, with the generally lower-pitched trombone on the top, thus inverting the expected instrumental roles and creating an unusual timbre. Duke Ellington was one of the most important creative forces in the music of the twentieth century. His influence on classical music, popular music, and, of course, jazz, simply cannot be overstated. Ellington described it as “the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time.”. Duke had already composed numerous significant ballads by this point, but to my ears this marks a breakthrough in the level of gentle lyricism at a time when even ballads were still typically rather upbeat. He described it as, “a parallel to the history of the Negro in America.”, After the Carnegie Hall performance received negative reviews, Ellington reworked the suite and re-recorded much of the material on a 1958 album of the same name featuring Mahalia Jackson, civil rights activist and ‘, The song is also reprised, at various tempos, throughout the 1965 album, He did, however, compose a number of the Duke Ellington band’s best-loved songs, including “, Ellington used the tune as the closing number on most of his concerts, and described Strayhorn as. This track (partnered with its instrumental counterpart from the same album, featuring Ray Nance’s violin) was assigned to me by my teacher George Raccio to learn and transcribe when I was 17, and it has been etched in my brain ever since. Though overshadowed during his own lifetime by his employer, Duke Ellington, the composer-arranger wrote more than 1,000 pieces. In this article we look at 10 of Ellington’s greatest songs, and also learn a little more about the life and career of this artistic giant. Featuring so many of his longtime featured soloists (Barney Bigard, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges and on and on) this stands as probably my favorite Duke arrangement of a work from outside his own pen or those of his inner circle members. "Art is dangerous. “my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine”. Hodges played a short solo feature on the original recording with the Blanton-Webster edition of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, on which Ivie Anderson provided the vocal, and the, This Newport Jazz Festival recording is considered one of, Never No Lament (Don’t Get Around Much Anymore), “Never No Lament” was recorded as an instrumental number in 1940, but songwriter Bob Russell put lyrics to it two years later and it is now more commonly known as “, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook. The lyrics in this section refer to Ellington’s famously eclectic taste, comparing his love to a “Schubert tune with a Gershwin touch”. Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending some time on a panel of folks discussing Duke Ellington on John Dankosky’s “Where We Live” on WNPR. The spiritual side of Ellington (the composer and the man) is well-documented and that too could easily get its own Top 10 list. Ellington would re-record “It Don’t Mean a Thing” a number of times, including versions with both Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Ellington used the tune as the closing number on most of his concerts, and described Strayhorn as “my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine”. In fact, he is arguably one of America’s finest composers, regardless of genre. Caravan is of Duke Ellington’s most famous songs, and a classic example of the “Spanish tinge” in jazz. The song’s title was apparently a saying of trumpeter Bubber Miley, an early member of his Orchestra, who died of tuberculosis in 1932, the year of the song’s release. Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington, Mills, Irving; $0.99 on iTunes 8. After the Carnegie Hall performance received negative reviews, Ellington reworked the suite and re-recorded much of the material on a 1958 album of the same name featuring Mahalia Jackson, civil rights activist and ‘the Queen of Gospel’. 6 ) “Reflections In D” from Piano Reflections, 1953 (duet with Wendell Marshall). Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. In fact, the informal and intimate nature of their working relationship meant that it was not always clear who wrote what, and it has been suggested that Strayhorn did not always receive proper credit for his work. Ellington was known for writing pieces with particular members of his band in mind, to suit their respective sounds and personalities. Blanton was hugely influential on his instrument, pioneering the bass as a soloing instrument, amongst various other innovations, but he died of tuberculosis in 1942, aged just 23. Indeed, it pains me to leave out “Cotton Tail,” “Harlem Airshaft” and easily 20 others. Duke Ellington first charted in 1926. You can find that, and all our other articles on the topic, via our Discover Jazz Music page. Prelude to a Kiss - Duke Ellington, Mills, Irving; $0.99 on iTunes 10. Caravan is of Duke Ellington’s most famous songs, and a classic example of the “Spanish tinge” in jazz. Unsubscribe at any time. From 7 people Caravan Duke Ellington. If you’re looking for more suggestions on great tunes, you might like this round up of some of the most famous jazz songs in history. Like a number of pieces on this list, it started life as an instrumental jazz tune before later being turned into a song. He was born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington, D.C. on April 29, 1899, into a middle class black family. I don’t know how to answer that question – in the end, there were certainly dozens of top-shelf choices for that and I narrowed it down to this one (in a toss-up with “Star-Crossed Lovers” from the Such Sweet Thunder project a decade prior) among a trove of achingly gorgeous Strayhorn ballads featuring the lead voice of Johnny Hodges on alto. An entertaining overview of some of Duke Ellington's most popular material, 16 Most … Duke Ellington’s music was always steeped in blues feeling, but he also wrote a number of actual 12-bar blues tunes. This uptempo dance number perfectly encapsulates the raucous atmosphere of the 1930s Swing era. The tune which was taken from Duke Ellington and his famous orchestra's 1941 album "Hollywood" was included in the soundtrack of the 2008 video game release Grand Theft Auto IV from the fictitious in-game jazz music radio station "JNR 108.5 (Jazz Nation Radio)". The expression was coined by New Orleans innovator Jelly Roll Morton, and refers to the influence that Afro-Latin and Cuban sounds have had upon jazz since the … With its opening dominant chord, which is sustained for 12 bars at a time, “Caravan”, from 1936, arguably anticipates the static harmony of the modal jazz revolution that was to come in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. Ellington was actually uncomfortable with the word ‘jazz’, and felt that being described as ‘beyond category’ – an expression coined by his colleague Billy Strayhorn – was the greatest compliment that could be paid to his music. Duke Ellington Top Songs in the Charts Top One Hit Wonders of the 1930s Top Pop One Hit Wonders. A pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer, Ellington and his band played together for 50 years. 3 ) “Rockin’ In Rhythm,“ 1931 (The Harlem Footwarmers). (A second version of the piece was a chart entry on Victor in March 1932.) This won a virtual coin-flip with the era’s other landmark example of this, “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” (note, from the mouth of Phil Schaap: correct pronunciation = “toddle-oh”). Duke Ellington's popular compositions set the bar for generations of brilliant jazz, pop, theatre and soundtrack composers to come. Tizol was from Peurto Rico and brought a Latin influence to the Orchestra, with other compositions of his including “Perdido”, “Jubilesta” and “Conga Brava”. These are not necessarily the “most important” tracks (indeed, I made a conscious effort to limit myself to ONE track from 1940 for the sake of breadth and diversity) but simply 10 that have deeply impacted me. Hodges played a short solo feature on the original recording with the Blanton-Webster edition of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, on which Ivie Anderson provided the vocal, and the alto saxophone player takes centre stage in heartbreaking fashion on the live instrumental version from the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. A Duke Ellington Panorama (1943) Duke released a ton of singles with almost every record label during his first decade in music. If that doesn't work, please visit our help page. Duke Ellington and his orchestra playing this awesome tune in 1943. He started playing piano at the age of seven, and by the time he was 15, he was composing. Duke led his Orchestra from 1923 until his death in 1974 and, as you’d expect over such a long period, musicians came and went. Considering that his generally agreed-upon “peak years” were more than a decade away, still, this is some rather sophisticated music! Russell came up with words for a number of Ellington tunes from this period, and his lyric here is from the perspective of a rejected lover who prefers to stay at home rather than venture out and be reminded of happier days. This crossword clue "___ Indigo" (Duke Ellington song) was discovered last seen in the January 7 2021 at the Daily Pop Crosswords Crossword. C Jam Blues - Duke Ellington, Bigard, Barney; $0.99 on iTunes 7. In the late 1950s simple lyrics were added to turn it into a song entitled “Duke’s Place”. Based on the chord sequence to “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin, it features a classic two-chorus tenor solo from Webster as well as a famous soli (a featured ensemble section written in rhythmic unison for a section of a big band) from all of the saxophones. The tune’s bridge (the contrasting middle section) features a particularly spectacular melody, full of wide intervals and juicy note choices. Columbia's Greatest Hits features many of Duke Ellington's best-known songs and biggest hits, including "Satin Doll," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Take the 'A' Train," "Solitude," "Mood Indigo," "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Perdido." Dr. Lewis Porter turned my coat to this in graduate school (as part of the lineage of the tune from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band through the sophistication of Art Tatum in 1933 and on to Charlie Parker and others after that). “Prelude to a Kiss”, which was composed that year, represented something of a stylistic departure for the composer. To call Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington inimitable is to actually downplay his mythic role in world culture, as no American figure — be he from the realm of jazz or any other musical idiom — has ever matched his spectacular and ceaseless creativity. From 12 people Isfahan Duke Ellington. Come Sunday” from Black, Brown and Beige, 1958 (Duke Ellington Orchestra with Mahalia Jackson). He described it as “a parallel to the history of the Negro in America.”. The song features on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook, which sees the great singer accompanied by Duke and the Orchestra, and has also been recorded by everyone from The Ink Spots to Willie Nelson, George Shearing to Paul McCartney. This song of unrequited love was long associated with saxophonist Johnny Hodges, whose vibrato-laden lead alto tone is a classic sound in big band jazz. The two aspects of his career were related; Ellington used his band as a musical laboratory for his new compositions and shaped his…. One of the originators of big-band jazz, Ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in all of Western music. by Sam Braysher | Jazz Music, Jazz Stories. 10?!?! Comment below with facts and trivia about the song and we may include it in our song facts! Duke Ellington originally did When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You), St. James Infirmary, Take the "A" Train, Sing You Sinners and other songs. A new trio album, with bassist Tom Farmer and drummer Jorge Rossy, is due for release soon. When the alto player died, Ellington said: “Never the world’s most highly animated showman or greatest stage personality, but a tone so beautiful it sometimes brought tears to the eyes—this was Johnny Hodges. Duke Ellington covered St. James Infirmary, When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You), Take the "A" Train, Sam and Delilah and other songs. As well as leading his famed orchestra from the piano chair, he is considered by many to be, At 15, whilst working as a soda dispenser, he wrote “, It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), “the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time.”, Ellington was actually uncomfortable with the word ‘jazz’, and felt that being described as ‘beyond category’ – an expression coined by his colleague. No spam. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This whole list could have EASILY been comprised solely of tracks from the so-called “Blanton-Webster” era of the Ellington Orchestra. From 11 people Fleurette Africaine Duke Ellington. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at Last.fm. While these compositions guarantee his greatness, whatmakes Duke an iconoclastic genius, and an unparalleled visionary, what has granted him … He abandoned the happy-go-lucky feeling associated with swing dancing in favour  of the complex, chromatic sounds heard here, which perhaps owe something to the meditative feeling of impressionist classical music. A history of Jazz before 1930. Your email address will not be published. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than six decades. Ellington wrote lyrics of his own, before a new set was written for a 1960 version by the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. 7 ) “Part IV a.k.a. Instead, my focus on the show was the musical qualities that have left the most indelible marks on me as a composer, pianist and bandleader. , which sees the great singer accompanied by Duke and the Orchestra, and has also been recorded by everyone from The Ink Spots to Willie Nelson, George Shearing to Paul McCartney. years of Duke’s life and shows a wonderful balance of restraint and edginess. Later, having moved to New York and now leading his own band, he secured a residency playing for dancers at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club, which he held between 1926 and 1931. I admire your restraint as much as your descriptions of why and how the music moves you. Duke Ellington ~ 16 Most Requested Songs Amazon.com. Some of Ellington's most famous songs include "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Sophisticated Lady" and "In a Sentimental Mood." One of the greatest composers of the 20th century, and the leader for 50 years of a band that became the greatest of all jazz orchestras. 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