Duke Ellington – Biography
Born in 1899, Duke Ellington was born into an affluent, music-loving family in Washington, D.C. They often vacationed in Atlantic City and New York, where the young Ellington was able to learn from the likes of Fats Waller and Sidney Bechet. Soon enough he had formed his own jazz orchestra, and by 1927 began a lucrative residency at Harlem’s Cotton Club. It was here that he popularized jazz as a genre of elegance and sophistication.
Ellington’s influence on jazz — and American music as a whole — cannot be understated. In fact, it can’t even be quantified. Throughout his career, he wrote over 1,000 songs and remained highly prolific until his death in 1974. Keep reading below for Duke Ellington album reviews and accolades.
Discography
- Black, Brown and Beige (1946) A
- Liberian Suite (1948) A-
- Masterpieces by Ellington (1951) A
- Ellington Uptown (1952) A
- The Duke Plays Ellington (1953) A
- Ellington ’55 (1955) B+
- Ellington at Newport (1956) A
- Such Sweet Thunder (1957) A-
- Black, Brown and Beige (1958) A-
- Jazz Party (1959) A-
- Back to Back (1959, with Johnny Hodges) A-
- Side by Side (1959, with Johnny Hodges) A-
- Anatomy of a Murder (1959) A-
- Live at the Blue Note (1959) A
- Festival Session (1959) A-
Accolades
- Colin’s Review Hall of Fame
- 1920s Best Songs – #4, #18 & #36
- 1920s Artists of the Decade – #2
- 1930s Best Songs – #4, #26, #29 & #32
- 1930s Artists of the Decade – #4
- 1950s Greatest Albums – #29, #67, #73 & #84
- 1951 Top Albums – #5
- 1952 Top Albums – #1
- 1953 Top Albums – #4
- 1956 Top Albums – #9
- 1957 Top Albums – #17
- 1958 Top Albums – #17
- 1959 Top Albums – #17 & #25