Duke Ellington

During a career that spanned over half a century, Duke Ellington wrote more than a thousand compositions, toured the world with his orchestra ceaselessly, & became one of the most influential musicians in jazz. Hundreds of his melodies have become standards, such as It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Aint' Got That Swing). This volume traces Ellington's life from his middle-class African-American family in Wash., DC, through his early days performing in N.Y. in the 1920s, & his fame starting when he & his orchestra were asked to play at Harlem's famous Cotton Club. Despite the constant restrictions of racism & segregation, Ellington's orchestra, filled with notable players, was extremely successful. B&W photos.Yanow, Scott is the author of 'Duke Ellington ', published 1999 under ISBN 9780756781286 and ISBN 0756781280.