Why another Ellington biography? The sub-title, A Spiritual Biography, is critical. While Steed does an excellent job of re-telling the standard Ellington story, her special province is the spiritual ...

A revelation of a jazz biography, arts critic Terry Teachout’s Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington (Gotham Books) succeeds in humanizing, with brutal honesty but also great respect, an American cultural ...

Do we need another biography of Duke Ellington? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Harvey G. Cohen’s biography of one of the greatest composers of the 20th century in any musical genre has much to ...

The impact, influence and sheer longevity of Duke Ellington's jazz career is astonishing, rivaled only perhaps by Louis Armstrong's. From his first recordings in 1924 until his last at Georgetown ...

Enjoying a capital childhood, 1899-1913 -- Starting a career, 1913-23 -- Seeking special sounds, 1923-27 -- Composing at the Cotton Club, 1927-31 -- Taking the road, 1931-35 -- Swinging to a different ...

"Duke Ellington is widely held to be the greatest jazz composer and one of the most significant cultural icons of the twentieth century. This comprehensive and accessible Companion is the first ...