FratFiles

• Save Paper

XXXXXXXXX IHM
Grade 8th 11-26-00
Reading

With complete sincerity and honesty, one can easily recognize Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington as America's greatest composer in any genre. Leading his orchestra for over fifty years of continual musical excellence, he wrote literally thousands of works, ranging from standard ballads like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", through instrumentals and full scale suites. Ellington always composed with his orchestra members in mind and many of them stayed with him for twenty years or more. In the words of his verteran collaborator and arranger, Billy Strayhorn, "Ellington plays the piano, but his real instrument is his band".
From a Washington middle-class background, Ellington took piano lessons as a child, played at dances and parties and wrote his first composition, "Soda Fountain Rag" at the age of sixteen. After leaving school he worked as a sign-painter and a clerk while running his first band, which
included Sonny Greer......

View the rest of this paper...

Approximate Word Count: 307
Approximate Pages: 2 (250 words per double-spaced page)

Similar Essays

1. Duke Ellington
   

   duke ellington. By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world's
   greatest composers and musicians. ... He was The Duke, Duke Ellington. ...

2. The Famous Duke Ellington
   

   The Famous Duke Ellington. The ... Ellington. Duke Ellington was born into a middle
   class family. Duke's mother's name was Daisy Kennedy. ...

3. Duke Ellington Biography
   

   Duke ellington biography. Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy ... "The Jazz Biography"
   by Duke Ellington is my chosen CD. Song number one is ...

4. Duke Ellington
   

   Duke Ellington. President Nixon stated, "In ... professional debut. Thus the
   music phenomenon of Duke Ellington was born. Between 1918 ...

5. Duke Ellington
   

   Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April
   28, 1899 in Washington, DC to Daisy and James Ellington. ...