Clarity!

"Grey clouds are just clouds passing over."


Edward Kennedy Ellington, called Duke Ellington, was born on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. His parents James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy Ellington were ideal models for him and they taught their son social manners from proper table manners to understanding and feeling the emotional power of music.

Duke Ellington started his piano lessons at the age of seven or eight although he was more inclined to baseball. Duke Ellington started selling peanuts at Washington Senator's baseball games.

At the age of 14 Duke Ellington began sneaking into Frank Holliday's poolroom. He got good experiences from other people he met and knew there. And then he attended Armstrong Manual Training School to study commercial art instead of going to an academic school.

Duke Ellington began to listen to pianists in Washington and in Philadelphia and Atlantic City during summers. He knew Harvey Brooks during one of those summers and sought him in Philadelphia where Harvey showed him some pianist tricks and shortcuts. So when he got home he had "a real yearning to play" as he said and added "I hadn't been able to get off the ground before, but after hearing him I said to myself, Man you're going to have to do it". The music career of Duke Ellington was born that day.

Oliver Perry and Louis Brown taught Duke Ellington how to read music and helped him steps forward to improve his piano playing skills. He found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout Washington area. He dropped out of school and began his professional music career.

Duke Ellington performed his first musical group "The Duke's Serenaders" in late 1917, and he made significant steps towards independence in 1918-1919. He moved from his parent's house and became his own booking agent for his band.

Duke Ellington moved to New York in 1923. Through the power of the radio Duke Ellington got to listeners throughout NY and made his first recording. He renamed his band "The Washingtonians" and performed in so many places.

In 1928, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement to enable Mills to produce and publish Duke Ellington's music, so big recording companies like Columbia, Victor and Brunswick sought his music and Duke Ellington's band became the most sought-after band in the United States and throughout the world.

Duke Ellington began working in films on 1929, starting with the short film "Black and Tan". He appeared in "Check and Double Check" which helped introduce him to a wide audience. He continued to appear with his Orchestra in films throughout the thirtieth and the fortieth such as "Murder at the Vanities" on 1934. His soundtracks got to "Anatomy of a Murder" on 1959 in which he also appeared as a bandleader. He did the same in ”Paris Blues" on 1961 which featured Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier as jazz musicians.

Duke Ellington's band played from NY to Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. He is regarded until now as the most important musician to emerge in the United States from the US jazz music, and as one of the twentieth century's best-known African-American celebrities.

Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions.