'Music Analysis: Duke Ellington At Newport'

Duke Ellington was a jazz author, conductor, and entertainer amid the Harlem Renaissance. During the developmental Cotton Club years, he explored different avenues regarding and built up the style that would rapidly bring him overall achievement. Ellington would be among the first to concentrate on melodic shape and sythesis in jazz. Ellington composed more than 2000 pieces in his lifetime. The Duke Ellington Orchestra was the "house" symphony for various years at the Cotton Club.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington: Pianist, conductor, songwriter, and bandleader. Since his early teen years, Ellington left his mark on the genre of Jazz music with countless compositions and numerous variety forms that would be displayed for almost half a century. Ellington’s music career redefined many aspects of American music. His musical styling blended elements such as: his signature pursued ragtime, the blues, minstrel song, and others. It was this new complex, and diverse styling that would become a hot commodity of sorts, used in multiple settings including the nightclub scene, theaters, ballrooms, concert halls, and more.

Duke Ellington earned nine Grammy Awards during his life from 1959-1973.Duke won three more awards after his death from 1973-2000. Duke Ellington was in the spotlight not only during his life but was still in the spotlight many years after his death. Duke was born in Washington D.C. on April 29,1899.Duke’s music career started at age seven when began studying the piano. At age 15, Duke wrote his first composition. The song was called “Soda Fountain Rage.

Born in Washington D.C. in April 29, 1899, Edward Kennedy Ellington began studying piano at the young age of seven. His childhood friends gave the him the nickname of “Duke” because of his elegant and flashy sense of style. He studied the arts in high school, even earning a scholarship to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, which he declined. He gave up the fine arts in favor of a career in music. By 1919, Duke played in a small band called the Washingtonians.

In the 1920s and 1930s, a large movement of art and literature took place in the city of Harlem. Many African American authors express their thoughts and ideas through anyway possible. Whether it be music, art, or literature, its impact gave the African Americans a new place in society. One composer of music was very influential to all people. His name is Duke Ellington.

Studies say that in spite of the fact that Ellington 's music originates from the jazz convention, it is inappropriate to mark it as simply jazz music. Ellington believed that he didn’t create jazz music, he says he creates music for black folks when people asked him about his music. Truth be told quite a bit of his music is closer to European traditional music.

For my first concert review, I attended Appalachian Classic Band Festival. Many marching band performed but I chose to focus on East Tennessee State University Marching Bucs. The Marching Bucs have over two-hundred members in their band. Those members came from seventy-five different high schools and colleges. They performed four songs, all of which, are very popular today.

“Billie Holiday … did what she liked. If a man she liked came up, she’d go with him; if a woman, the same thing. If she was handed a drink, she’d drink it. If you had a stick of pot, she’d take a cab ride on her break and smoke it. If you had something stronger, she’d use that. ….

Blues, Jazz, and Barbeque Black History Month Celebration On February 2nd, the Rubenstein pavilion of Palm Beach State College’s Eissey Campus was home to a jazz concert in celebration of Black History Month. The rich smell of barbeque permeated the air while students and faculty alike lined up for a taste of New Orleans pulled pork and baked beans. Rows of folding chairs facing the set began to fill with interested passersby and jazz enthusiasts. Indistinguishable chatter and the musical preparation of the band forbid even a moment of silence. In the time when music was not playing, the hosts of the event would share achievements in black history.

On Thursday, November 17, an enthusiastic crowd filled the NJPAC’s stunning Prudential Hall to welcome an assortment of artists associated with the performer-centric label GRP Records, founded by the late drummer and sound engineer Larry Rosen, the illustrious honoree of this show, and the pianist and producer Dave Grusin, who at the age of 82, performed with his usual brio. The concert was part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival The American jazz-fusion quartet The Yellowjackets, vindicating 40 years of existence, was summoned to open the show. Besides the pianist/keyboardist Russell Ferrante, a founding member, the band includes Bob Mintzer on saxophone and EWI, Will Kennedy on drums, and the most recent acquisition, the young Australian bass player Dane Alderson.