Happy Birthday Duke Ellington
Thursday April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29th, was the 110th anniversary of Duke Ellington's birth. The great composer and bandleader died in New York in 1974 at age 75.
Mayor Bloomberg declared Wednesday Duke Ellington Day in New York, and I read that members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Music Under New York were scheduled to play the famous Billy Strayhorn piece, and Ellington Orchestra classic, "Take The 'A' Train" on the A train from Harlem all the way to JFK airport. I wonder how that went over with commuters...
Read my profile of Duke Ellington.
Image Courtesy of Columbia Records
Comments
Duke Ellington, Great, Great Musician. I was very lucky to see him at the Eastbourne Congress Theatre a short time before his death.I will never forget that evening. He was all I believed he would be and more. I play his records now and still get a great sense of pleasure.
A lifetime LEGEND forever.