Duke Ellington

American Jazz legend Duke Ellington once said, “A problem is a chance for you to do your best”. What he means by this is that if you have a situation that is difficult for you, you should try your hardest to solve it. I agree with this quote because I believe that you should try your hardest anytime, especially when you have a difficult situation because that is when it counts the most. For example, when you know a big test is coming up, and you do not know if you are going to pass it or not…

Jazz Age. Music from black musicians was so popular that clubs like The Cotton Club were opened. The club was initially just for white customers, and all the performers were black with the most famous being Duke Ellington.2 Jazz music was so popular that it helped artists like Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong careers take off making their music recognized to this day. Other great musicians played at the Savoy Ballroom, which was a club that people went to and danced to upbeat Jazz music…

There has never been anyone like Art Tatum, who is one of the greatest jazz musicians in history. Tatum was born on October 13, 1909, in Toledo, Ohio, and he was the child of amateur musicians. His father was a mechanic, and his mother was a housemaid who worked in white homes. Although he was not born into a wealthy family, his unique talents helped propel him into the spotlight. If anything, Tatum proved that it was not impossible to become a world-class extraordinaire despite growing up with…

Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as Duke Ellington, never took formal action in forwarding the Civil Rights movement but his accomplishments helped to forward civil rights. On the biographical page of his website it says, “Duke Ellington influenced millions of people both around the world and at home. He gave American music it’s own sound for the first time… His legacy continues to live on and will endure for generations to come.”(Duke Ellington Biography). Being a well known…

influenced by those before them. Joe King Oliver influenced Louis Armstrong by training him and because of Oliver moving to Chicago, Armstrong got his start in Kid Ory’s band. Jelly Roll Morton, Joe King Oliver, Sidney Bichet, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington all changed things for musicians today. Jelly Roll Morton grew up in New Orleans and started playing piano at the age of 10. In 1904 he began traveling, playing the piano in places like Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. He was…

Imagine walking down the street into a place where the aroma is cigarette smoke, perfume, and sweat. At least the smell gave off the realization that you were about to have a good time. Even though the whole decade was a good time! During this time period, there was a social outbreak in all kinds of people. All the worries people had were: fashion, music, and dancing. In the 1920s, men dressed very sophisticated. The goal of dressing so elegantly was to become more attractive. In their…

Billie Holiday is considered one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. Holiday was born on April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia and died on July 17, 1959. Billie Holiday struggled in her early life which was why she moved to New York and began her career, but she encountered problems even though she was successful. Billie Holiday did not live in a peaceful home while growing up. Born in Philadelphia, her birth name was Eleanor Fagan. She spent much of her childhood in Baltimore with her…

The Life of Art Tatum Author Taylor Jr. who goes by the name of Art Tatum is said to be the greatest jazz pianist of all time, known for his famous two-handed runs. Art was born in October 13, 1909 in Toledo, OH to pianist Mildred Hoskins and Guitarist Arthur Tatum Sr. Completely blind by cataracts in one eye and nearly blind in the other, Art played music by ear, mimicking the sounds he heard from other musicians such as Fats Waller. He played so well that by age three he was considered a…

after organized his own orchestra, Cab Calloway and the Alabamians, in which he was lead vocals. Calloway and his orchestra received much support from its fan base in Chicago. Calloway received so much praise that in 1929, he went on to replace Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club. Eventually in 1931, Calloway’s band, The Cab Calloway Band, replaced Ellington’s band to become the Cotton Club’s house act for eight years. According to Notable Biographies it was at the Cotton Club that he developed…

The piece of music that this paper will focus on is “Sing Sing Sing” by Benny Goodman. “Sing Sing Sing” is a fast pace swing song that features mainly trumpets and saxophones, a driving drum, and an unmistakable solo by the famous clarinetist- Benny Goodman. Benny Goodman was one of the driving forces of band desegregation during his time as a bandleader. “Sing Sing Sing” by Benny Goodman was a killer diller number, a popular dance piece, that embodies the swing era, and brought jazz out of the…