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An exhibition celebrating the life of Edward Kennedy Ellington is on
display, February - May 7, 1999, on the first floor of the Morris Library, South College Avenue,
on the University of Delaware campus in Newark. The UD exhibition
consists of books, photographs, printed music, sound recordings, and
Internet resources and provides a brief commemorative of his life and
work. In addition to addressing the highlights of his career, the
exhibition seeks to convey some of Ellington's many contributions to
African American music and culture, and the ways in which he has enhanced
the American musical landscape. The display, curated by Carol A. Rudisell,
is free and open to the public.
for reference assistance
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The Early Years
Edward "Duke" Ellington, one of America's greatest composers, was born
April 29, 1899. Influenced by the sound of early ragtime musicians,
Ellington began performing in small bands in the Washington, D.C. area
while still in high school. In the early 1920s, Ellington and his band,
"The Washingtonians," relocated to New York City where his career as
composer, pianist and bandleader would flourish.
Duke Ellington.
Music Is My Mistress. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1973.
Wynton Marsalis.
"Ellington at 100: Reveling in Life's Majesty."
New York Times, Sunday, 17 January 1999, sec. 2, p. 1.
W. E. Timner.
Ellingtonia: The Recorded Music of Duke Ellington and His Sidemen.
Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1996.
Mark Tucker.
Ellington: The Early Years. Urbana: University of Illinois Press,
1991.
Barry Ulanov.
Duke Ellington. New York: Da Capo Press, 1975.
Harlem Nights and the Cotton Club
Duke Ellington achieved national attention during the late 20s and early
30s when he worked at Harlem's famous Cotton Club, an establishment which
regularly featured African American entertainers, but which discouraged
blacks as clientele.
James Lincoln Collier.
Duke Ellington. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.
Hot in Harlem. MCA Records. MCA 1359. Phonograph record.
On loan from the University of Delaware Music Resource Center.
John Edward Hasse.
Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
Stephen Longstreet.
Storyville to Harlem: Fifty Years in the Jazz Scene.
New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1986.
Peter Watrous.
"Ellington Emerges, Falters and Triumphs; Catching The Spirit Of a
Century."
New York Times, Sunday, 17 January 1999, sec. 2, p. 32.
The Swing Era and Beyond
Ellington's career continued to expand during the Swing Era which
promoted the type of big band music that he had long been composing and
performing. He debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1943 when he performed, among
other things, an extensive piece, "Black, Brown and Beige," that was
intended to capture musically the historical experience of African
Americans. Ellington's career entered a more quiet stage during the
World War II years and the period following, but his electrifying
performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1956 again brought him
to the attention of the American public. Duke Ellington's vast musical
heritage has been preserved in a variety of mediums for future
generations of music enthusiasts and scholars to enjoy.
Duke Ellington.
Ellington at Newport. Columbia Jazz Masterpieces. CJ 40587. Phonograph
record.
On loan from the University of Delaware Music Resource Center.
Duke Ellington.
Sophisticated Lady. Bluebird RCA. BMG Music 07863 61071-2. Compact
sound disc.
On loan from the University of Delaware Music Resource Center.
"Mood Indigo & Beyond." Time. 30 August 1956, 54-56.
Billy Strayhorn.
Take the "A" Train. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1993.
The Later Years
Duke Ellington composed and performed right up until his death on May 24,
1974, with many of his later pieces being spiritual or sacred in
content. His orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, continued even
after his death, under the leadership of his son, Mercer Ellington.
Roy DeCarava.
"Duke Ellington, 1967." Roy DeCarava: A Retrospective.
New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1996.
Duke Ellington.
Duke Ellington Sacred Concerts. Miami Beach: Hansen House, n.d.
Duke Ellington.
Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music. RCA Victor. LSP 3582.
Phonograph record.
On loan from the University of Delaware Music Resource Center.
Duke Ellington.
Sacred Concert No. 1. New York: Charles Hansen, n.d.
Duke Ellington.
Sacred Concert No. 3. New York: Charles Hansen, n.d.
Mercer Ellington.
Duke Ellington in Person: An Intimate Memoir.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1978.
Wayne Enstice.
Jazz Spoken Here: Conversations with Twenty-Two Musicians.
Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992.
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