Ellington in Order

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (* April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C.; † May 24, 1974 in New York City) was one of the most influential American jazz musicians. As a pianist, he was one of the most important innovators of the Stride piano. As a composer, he composed almost 2000 compositions (songs and suites), a hundred of which soon became jazz standards. As a bandleader, he contributed to the development of swing as a big band style.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

As a true Alchemist, Duke Ellington was able to transform jazz music, then entertainment music, into art. he is one of the most important composers-arrangers and conductors in the history of jazz, keeping his big band active for almost 50 years. These two aspects of his career are closely related, using his orchestra as a laboratory to refine his writing while giving free rein to his soloists in order to further enrich the discourse ; the latter will remain faithful to him for the most part. Duke Ellington will also write for cinema, theater, melodies and songs (more than 3000) that will become standards accepted by all.

Take the "A" Train is the vibrant signature composition of Duke Ellington, the most important composer in the history of jazz, also a rare bandleader who held his large group together for almost 50 years. It is quite impossible for one album to capture the full flavour and rich diversity of Duke Ellington’s music and orchestra. The eight tracks here offer a remarkably well-balanced sample of the prolific repertoire – the immortal compositions, the arresting arrangements, the outstanding soloists and, not least, the distinctive solo work of the piano player, Edward Kennedy Ellington, the Duke who became King of Orchestral Jazz.

Masterpieces By Ellington is the 1951 album by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. This is taken from the 2004 Columbia Legacy Edition released on 17 February, 2004.