Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born April 29, 1899. Generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time, Bob Blumenthal of the Boston Globe goes as far as saying, “In the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise, than Edward Kennedy Ellington." Ellington left a successful musical career in the nation’s capital to pursuit success in Harlem. Rumor has it that Duke was forced to hustle pool to get by early during his time in Harlem because of how competitive Harlem jazz was. Duke even was forced to go back to D.C. after his initial difficulties, but eventually returned in 1923 where he was hired as part of the house band at the famous Hollywood Club
In 1927, Ellington took over as the leader of the Cotton Club’s house band. This position was highly sought after and truly marked Ellington as a musical star.

Duke Ellington was equally famous for his composition abilities. For instance, he conducted the orchestra for a number of revues and theatrical performances throughout the 20’s. Due to the popularity of the Cotton Club, Ellington became an even bigger star and gained huge following not only in America but overseas in Europe as well. He was particularly beloved in England and performed there on several occasions in the late 20’s and 30’s. Ellington produced a plethora of jazz standards throughout his career. “Take the A Train” is almost universally recognized as a musical classic. However, his influence over the coming generations of African American musicians and composers, and the racial stereotypes and barriers that he helped tear down are even more impressive.