He was the epitomy of cool, advancing jazz further than almost any artist. Sure, Lous Armstrong might have been adding emotion and range to his coronet and trumpet along with others like Bessie Smith but Ellington introduced that suave, debonaire part of jazz which would later evolve into the begining of the swing era and into further developments like Be-bop.

With writters like Billy Strayhorn, Ellington's alter ego, Ellington helped to define the era of the Harlem Rennasaince and the Swing Age and further, giving him a career that lasted for exactly fifty years.

Edward K. Ellington gained his nick name because of the clothing he wore. Someone said that with those fancy clothes on he looked like a "Duke" and the name stuck throughout his life. It is about this time that he dwells in Harlem, composing his "Jungle Music" as it was oftenly refered to.

Although he was a very happy man, he also had a sadness to him no doubt contributed to the loss of his mother who he loved dearly and lived with during his early years as a musician. Regardless, this served as the platform for his first great hits such as "Mood Indigo", "Solitude" and others.

As time progressed, Duke's music found it's way into the Ballrooms of the Area like the Savoy, and into the airwaves where the American people were first exposed to this man who I belive inspired the Swing Era. Although not a big celebrity amoung whites, he garnessed acclaim for black critics and as time came along he gained the respect of the whites who had wrongly over sought his contribution to popular music.

With Billy Strayhorn, Ellington went further with performances of masterpieces like "Lush Life" and "Take the 'A' Train". Although he lost poularity through the late 1940's and early 1950's, Ellington made it through and then gave one of the virtuoso jazz performances at the newport Jazz Festival in 1956 putting his band on top and setting him up for a fne career afterwards working with artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and others in albums of theirs.

Yet another great column Sully. Can't wait to read your next.

The Duke was a legend of his time, genre, and of course for eternity.

I remember reading somewhere that listening to Duke Ellington was like sipping a very fine syrup all night, an excellent, elegant way to spend an evening.

Ellington was the American Beethoven--a nonpareil composer and instrumentalist with a broad vision and a symphonic way of expressing jazz--and especially blues. No matter how complex and elegant his compositions, he never strayed far from the blues. "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Ladies" express his metier perfectly.

No argument from me TB, but is he WAS the American Beethoven, then Bobby Short was the American Chopin.

I'll have to venture and say that Gershwin was the American Motzart then. I think without him, Jazz wouldn't of had as much popular acceptance as it recived in the middle 1920's. Regardless, I do feel that Ellington is one of the fathers of pure American music.