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
- 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
- Best Songs of the 1920s – #4, #18 & #36
- Top 10 Music Artists of the 1920s – #2
- Greatest Albums of the 1950s – #29, #67, #73 & #84
- Top 10 Albums of 1951 – #5
- Top 10 Albums of 1952 – #1
- Top 10 Albums of 1953 – #4
- Top 25 Albums of 1956 – #9
- Top 25 Albums of 1957 – #17
- Top 25 Albums of 1958 – #17
- Top 25 Albums of 1959 – #17 & #25
