Duke Ellington and His World

by A.H. Lawrence

Based on lengthy interviews with Ellington's bandmates, family, and friends, Duke Ellington and His World offers a fresh look at this legendary composer. The first biography of the composer written by a fellow musician and African-American, the book traces Ellington's life and career in terms of the social, cultural, political, and economic realities of his times. Beginning with his birth in Washington, DC, through his first bands and work at the legendary Cotton Club, to his final great extended compositions, this book gives a thorough introduction to Ellington's music and how it was made. It also illuminates his personal life because, for Ellington, music was his life and his life was a constant inspiration for music.

Genres: Music

542 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2001

Reviews

[Harriett Milnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I wrote about Duke Ellington probably said "Duke Ellington and his Orchestra were at the Cotton Club in New York City from 1927 until 1932." A.H. Lawrence devotes 58 PAGES of "Duke Ellington and his World" to the same period. In his engaging, very readable style, he details recording sessions, personnel and personnel changes, concerts, dances, performances, and tours. He interviewed many of the Ellington Orchestra players in this well-researched biography. Here is an example from the end of the book, during the tour of Russia in 1971: Lawrence is quoting Mercer Ellington, Duke's son, "Moscow was great, Pop (Duke) played a concert with the Radio Moscow Jazz orchestra. When he walked onto the podium for the first rehearsal, they stood and applauded for a good two minutes. He was very moved by that. When the concert was over several of the musicians had tears in their eyes. . .The Radio Jazz Orchestra was directed by Dimitri Shostakovich's son. At one point, he informed Ellington that his father was a great admirer of his music, but was in the hospital, and asked, "Do you think you could possibly come by?" Ellington replied, I'd be honored." Ellington did visit Shostakovich. This book is full of great stories like this one.
This great biography is highly recommended.