Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 19 April 2001 — Page 19

The Muncie Times, April 19, 2001, page 19

They Had A Dream

Duke Ellington Composer

Edward K. “Duke” Ellington composer and famous jazz concert artist, w born in Wash ington, D.C. His boyhood wish was to be an architect,™ but he later re-fused a scholarship to Pratt Institute. He workedV# in a soda\ # « parlor at nightV * „ to supplement v *«. his funds. The soda parlor was the Poodle Dog Dive, and here he played the piano. He had been playing the piano since he was seven and had composed his first piece, “The Soda Fountain Rag,” at 17. By 1918 he had his own band. They went to New York, and in 1927 were booked at the Cotton Club. From Harlem to Broadway and Europe, working in film and recording studios and on radio, the “Duke” became internationally known as a pianist, composer and orchestra director. He wrote almost one thousand tunes, including a tone poem depicting the history of the American Negro entitled Black, Brown and Beige. His dance hits include “Mood Indigo,” “Sophisticated Lady” and “Black and Tan

Fantasy”. In 1933, he was awarded the annual prize given by the New York School of Music for the best musical composition of the year for his “Creole Rhapsody.” In competition arranged by Orchestra World and decided popular ballot, he was voted most popular dance orchestra leader of the year in 1931. He won a similar contest in 1940. in 1967, he was given a honorary Doctor of Music degree by Yale University. In jazz concerts at Carnegie Hall and with his religious jazz concert at the New York Presbyterian Church, Duke Ellington has added a unique chapter to the history of music in America.

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