BLACK HISTORY M ONTH
Black Genius
em iniçcing in
D uke
mpo
P i t n g to r
unequal and
“blessed” - this
denigrating status of
clearly meant
C ontributing W riter
Black Americans.
that he was
Without question,
beyond the
award Kennedy
Ellington enjoyed a
ordinary.
Ellington was bom
far greater accep­
Ellington’s
April 29, 1899 in
tance in white
mother was
Washington D.C. He married Edna
society than most
optimistic,
Thompson, pregnant with his son
Blacks. He
creative and
Mercer, on July 2, 1918. Mercer
eventually became
strong-willed.
was bom March 11, 1919.
a spokesman for
The close
Ellington’s closest confidants in life
Jazz and for his
were his mother Daisy, his physician attachment with
race, but not
his mother,
Arthur C. Logan with whom he
without significant
however likely
forged a close relationship after his
criticism from
created problems
mother’s death in 1935, and Billy
political figures
o f intimacy in his
Strayhom, Ellington’s arranger,
such as Adam
heterosexual
pianist and assistant.
Clayton Powell. On
relationships as
Billy Strayhom, “Sweet Pea" or
the other hand,
well as contrib­
“Strays” as he was called, was
Martin Luther
uting to his
practically the opposite of
King, Jr. was more
sexual adven­
Ellington in lifestyle and physical
understanding of
tures — of which
appearance. He was also homo­
Ellington’s
there were many.
sexual. However, Ellington said
situation and
When
that with Strays he was so close
appreciated his
Ellington’s
their brain waves meshed.
efforts.
mother, Daisy,
Ellington emulated a white
Duke Ellington
was sent to
culture that espoused Victorian
died in 1974 at the
Providence
values, an interest in the arts, a
age of 75, leaving
The band of the Thirties stressed Individualism. Ellington believed that a strongly aiscipimeu ua™
Hospital in
formal manner of dress, deportment
more than 3000
have the freedom to create and play.
Detroit in May
compositions. In
and speech, and, above all, an
1835, Ellington
optimism and belief in achievement.
the
1920s
he
led
a
band of individu­
mind combinations of sounds and
leader and composer and he did not
spent the last three days of her life
His parents lived the ideal of
alists.
During
the
1930s
he rose in
colors that other simply could not.”
want them confused.
with his head on her pillow. She
Victorian gentility until they died,
stature
as
a
composer
concerned
He thought of music in terms of
Ellington once said, “I can never
and they raised their son accordinfdv. died on May 27. He was devastated;
with harmony and form and their
color and associated specific tones
catch
on
to
whatever
anyone
else
his mother had been the center of
The name he adopted, “Duke”,
integration with Jazz. In the 1940s
played, so 1 developed my own stuff.” with specific emotions and each
his emotional life. He had chosen to
relies on both the attribution of
and 1950s, Ellington’s musical
tone
had
a
different
color.
These
His lack of skill forced him to invent
aristocracy and the expectation of
live with her for a substantial
patterns
tones would become “colors in his
ways to get around deficits and it
portion of his adult life and, in
how he was to be treated by others.
became
mind’s eye” and he would work
fostered a creativity that might have
He remained aristocratic in bearing
many respects, had replaced his
innovative
with them drawing upon his
otherwise not developed. He learned
and behaviors his entire life. Part of
father in family relationships and as
and perhaps
to organize his music according to his background as a painter for visual
this related to being taught pride in
head of the household. Ellington
somewhat
own instinct. As a result of Ellington’s imagery in producing musical
his race and a “responsibility” to
became the provider, bearer of
simpler as
effects. And thus, he was able to
lack of ability to read music and his
represent it well. Positive aspects of
expensive clothing, sole source of
he preserved
tolerate enormous degrees of
educational deficits, he “did it by ear.
his mother’s social status and center
race were emphasized in his home.
a strong
uncertainty,
ambiguity
and
anxiety.
It was the essence of Ellington’s
Ellington said that his friend Edgar
of importance. His world was built
central
Discarding
a
rule
was
a
source
character to break rules. He loved
McEntree nicknamed him "Duke in around his mother.
identity.
of
inspiration
which
helped
shape
the out of the ordinary - one of the
He never fully recovered from
response to these qualities.
During
his
work
and
the
improvisation
hallmarks of his genius. Variety,
Duke Ellington has been de­
this loss which was reinforced by
his
fifty-
that
went
along
with
it.
He
played
change, shocking effect, and the
later losses, the greatest of which
scribed as having charisma from
year career,
an
wrote
from
something
deep
lack of adherence to the formal
childhood through the end of his life, was Strayhom’s death.
Eliington
within - “soul.”
rules became Ellington trademarks.
Duke Ellington grew up in the
possessing a majesty that was
played at
Ellington was able to develop lyric
simultaneously unique and utilitarian. European musical tradition and
over 20,000
( / uke Ellington was well
quality of his music and make many
His character and his talent were said likely knew very little of Black folk
;
/ aware of Black history. He perfor­
music. During early development he innovations. This is the sensuality in
to have been one.
mances in
had 800 volumes of books on Black
Ellington’s music - emotion is
showed very little musical talent,
He was conscious of his appear­
the United
history, many of which he studied
associated (attached) with the sound.
ance and did not like the word Jazz wasn’t interested in learning music
States,
and underlined, especially the
The hallmark of Ellington’s genius
and was not a good student when
because it related to sex, at least in
Europe, the
sections dealing with slave rebel­
was his ability to use harmonies and
his mother attempted to arrange
the early days, and was a word used
Middle East
lions. His expression of racial
voicings that were, from a conven­
piano lessons for his at age 8 or 9
by the lowly elements of society in
and Latin
concerns
was
subtle
and
creative.
tional perspective, not supposed to
One important permanent personal­
association with orgies.
America
Ellington
was
proud
of
his
heritage
work. According to the textbooks,
Ellington was given the sense that ity characteristic of his life was his
and had
and,
although
he
initially
ignored
harmony and voicings were unortho­
he was special and was actually told resistance to formal study.
reached tens
racial
problems,
he
composed
a
great
dox and wrong.
by his mother that he was “blessed” -
of millions
number
of
pieces
celebrating
Black
Duke Ellington possessed a
Jlington regarded himself as
this
of people.
culture
and
was
well
aware
of
the
strong ability to “hear and see in his
having two careers: band
clearly meant that he was beyond the
ordinary. Ellington s mother was
UÇIC
By Ronald Tùrco, M.D.
Black and Tan Fantasy
Black and Tan Fantasy commemorated
the death and love o f E llington’s affair
with an actress. Ellington had a basic
contem pt for women. His son, M ercer
writes, “ I would say that apart from
his m other and sister, he had a basic
contem pt for wom en.” He further
notes, “He spent so much tim e cel­
ebrating and charm ing them, but
basically hated them .” His attitude
towards wom en could be found in the
song “ She Always Wanted to be a
W itch.” Black and Tan F antasy was
selected by m usic critics and intellec­
tuals as being the single m ost im por­
tant piece o f Jazz in 1927.
Daybreak Express
The train almost had a mythic meaning for
African Americans during the 19* and
20th centuries. Ellington used the effects
of the train in many o f his pieces, perhaps
the most famous o f which is Daybreak
Express, and Ellington classic. Ellington
described the refuge the train provided
with its soothing metallic rhythm condu­
cive to writing music. This was also a
refuge from the segregation in the South.
Reminiscing In Tempo
Reminiscing In Tempo was a four-part
recording in which his mood alternated
from the sadness o f the past shared with
his mother, to fond memories - clearly a
By Duke Ellington
Music is a beautiful woman in her prime,
Music is a scrubwoman, clearing
away the dirt and grime,
Music is a girl child
Simple, sweet and beaming,
A thousand years old.
Cold as sleet, and scheming.
Wise and patient,
Unfathomably kind,
M usic is the woman you always
wanted to find.
Music is a gorgeous bitch,...
A volcano o f desire
Makes your blood to boil
As you get higher and higher.
No matter how well you know her,
There s always more to learn;
An endless adventure, every day she's
brand-new.
M usic is that woman, who
You 'll hope will say,
' ’ There s very fe w who do a new-do
like you d o ."
But, alas, you 're the victim o f her
coup,
'Cause she can always satisfy you.
Music is the
woman
You fo llo w day
after day;
Music is the
woman
Who always
has her way.
The topless
chick -
You like to see
her shake it -
No matter how
hard you try,
You never
quite make it.
When you
don't hear her.
You desper­
ately miss her.
And when you
embrace her,
You wish you
could kiss her.
reaction to her death. It was his creative
altemati ve to grief. This album was not
well received by critics.
Sophisticated Lady
Although Ellington remained ever “loyal”
to his wife, Edna, he took Mildred Dixon, a
dancer, to be his partner in 1929 after his
move to an apartment in the fancy Sugar
Hill area of Harlem. Ellington related to
Edna’s depressed state of mind and conse­
quent drinking after the marital breakup in
his recording, Sophisticated Lady. Duke
Ellington appears to have changed signifi­
cant heterosexual partners approximately
i-
every ten years. He was involved in numer-*'
ous affairs as well as female acquaintances.