fbpx

KidsKonnect

Duke Ellington Facts & Worksheets

Duke Ellington was an American pianist and the finest jazz composer and bandleader of his day.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Duke Ellington Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Duke Ellington was an American pianist and the finest jazz composer and bandleader of his day. On April 29, 1899, he was born in Washington, D.C., and died on May 24, 1974, in New York City. Ellington, one of the pioneers of big-band jazz, oversaw his group for over 50 years, wrote hundreds of pieces, and produced one of Western music’s most recognizable ensemble sounds.

See the fact file below for more information about Duke Ellington, or you can download our 26-page Duke Ellington worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER

  • Born in Washington, D.C., on April 29, 1899, Duke Ellington was brought up by his pianist parents, Daisy playing parlor songs and James favoring operatic arias. Living in D.C.’s West End neighborhood, Duke’s family displayed racial pride in response to Jim Crow laws.
  • At seven, Ellington started piano lessons with Marietta Clinkscales and earned the nickname “Duke” from a friend. 
  • Despite an early interest in baseball, he became fascinated with the piano after frequenting pool rooms where pianists like Doc Perry and others played. 
  • Ellington’s first composition, “Soda Fountain Rag,” was written in 1914 while working at the Poodle Dog Café.
  • Although he initially missed piano lessons, Ellington’s dedication grew. 
  • He learned from various pianists in Washington, Philadelphia, and Atlantic City. Private lessons in harmony from Henry Lee Grant and guidance from Oliver “Doc” Perry improved his skills. 
  • Inspired by stride pianists like James P. Johnson, Ellington played gigs in D.C. clubs, turning down an art scholarship in 1916 to pursue a career in music. 
  • He dropped out of Armstrong Manual Training School three months before graduating to fully commit to his passion.

ELLINGTON’S ENSEMBLE

  • In 1923, Ellington’s debut performance in New York City. After moving there later that year, he led a sextet in Broadway bars, which eventually expanded to a 10-piece ensemble. 
  • Ellington’s early “jungle style,” heard in compositions like “Black and Tan Fantasy” (1927) and “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” (1926), was influenced by his trumpeter Bubber Miley’s harsh, vocalized sounds (shouting with a plunger [“wa-wa”] mute), and trombonist Joe (“Tricky Sam”) Nanton’s sonorities, which played muted “growl” sounds.
  • Long-term stays (1927–1932, 1937–1938) at the Cotton Club in Harlem encouraged Ellington to broaden his creative range and grow his ensemble to 14 members.
  • His choice of musicians was based on their expressive individuality; among them were notable jazz musicians such as cornetist Rex Stewart, trombonist Lawrence Brown, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, baritone saxophonist Harry Carney, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and trumpeter Cootie Williams, who took Miley’s place. 
  • His choice of musicians was based on their expressive individuality; among them were notable jazz musicians such as cornetist Rex Stewart, trombonist Lawrence Brown, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, baritone saxophonist Harry Carney, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and trumpeter Cootie Williams, who took Miley’s place. 
  • Ellington recorded hundreds of tracks, had appearances in radio and cinema, and toured Europe in 1933 and 1939 with these outstanding players (the most well-known of them was Hodges, who sang ballads with a deep, creamy tone and extended portamentos).
  • Thanks to this group’s experience, Ellington defied the rules of band-section composition. Instead, he focused on congruent parts and a fluid ensemble that showcased Carney’s powerful bass-clef sound, using new harmonies to merge the unique tones of his bandmates. 
  • His inventive use of instrumentation to highlight delicate moods is well-known; “Mood Indigo,” a 1930 composition for low-register clarinet, unmuted trombone, and muted trumpet, is one of his most notable examples. 
  • Ellington started writing longer compositions in 1931. Some of his early works include Reminiscing in Tempo, Creole Rhapsody, and Diminuendo in Blue/Crescendo in Blue. 
  • To showcase his soloists’ unique skills, he wrote several pieces.
  • For instance, in Ellington’s well-known little concertos, “Echoes of Harlem” and “Concerto for Cootie,” Williams showed off his range. 
  • Some of Ellington’s compositions were co-written or wholly created by sidemen, most notably “Caravan” and “Perdido,” performed by trombone Juan Tizol. 
  • Despite their significance to jazz history, only some of Ellington’s soloists could perform as well in other settings; none seemed to match the inspiration that Ellington offered with his delicate, expert arrangements.

MASTERWORKS AND POPULAR SONGS WORKSHEETS

  • The above-mentioned “Concerto for Cootie,” Ellington’s fast-paced showpieces “Cotton Tail” and “Ko-Ko,” and the distinctively structured, compressed panoramas “Harlem Air Shaft” and “Main Stem,” in which a variety of ensemble colors accompanies successive soloists, represent a high point in Ellington’s career. 
  • These compositions, designed for three-minute, 78-rpm records, are remarkable for their variety, inventiveness, and distinctive forms, which vary from logically flowing expositions to juxtapositions of line and mood. 
  • Ben Webster, a tenor saxophonist, and Jimmy Blanton, a bassist, were members of this legendary Ellington ensemble. 
  • By then, Ellington had partnered with Billy Strayhorn, the composer of “Take the ‘A’ Train,” which would become the band’s theme song.
  • Ellington’s creative output extended beyond jazz innovation; he composed hit songs like “Sophisticated Lady,” “Rocks in My Bed,” and “Satin Doll.”
  • He also popularized wide interval leaps in songs like “Don’t Get Around Much Any More,” “Solitude,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” and “I Let a Song Go out of My Heart.” Ivy Anderson, the band’s female vocalist in the 1930s, introduced some hits.

CLASSICAL FORMS

  • Ellington had a fascination with the idea of writing jazz within classical structures during these years. The first of a series of musical suites he composed, Black, Brown, and Beige (1943), represented African-American history and usually consisted of works connected by subject matter.  
  • A Drum Is a Woman (1956), Liberian Suite (1947), written for a television production; such as Sweet Thunder (1957), a reworked and reorchestrated version of Nutcracker Suite (1960; inspired by Peter Tchaikovsky), Togo Brava Suite (1971) and Far East Suite (1964) were among the pieces that came after it. 
  • Symphony in Black (1935), an uncredited film short featuring Billie Holiday, was inspired by Ellington’s symphonic A Rhapsody of Negro Life.
  • Ellington composed music for ballet and theater, including the performance My People (1964), a celebration of African American life, amid the height of the American civil rights movement. 
  • He also wrote motion picture scores for films, including The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959). He wrote three sacred works in the last ten years: Second Sacred Concert (1968), Third Sacred Concert (1973), and In the Beginning God (1965).

LEGACY

  • Even though Ellington’s composing goals and interests evolved over the years, by the late 1930s, when he was at the height of his swing-era fame, his melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic qualities were mostly set. 
  • The broken, eighth-note melodies and arrhythmias of bebop did not mainly influence him. 
  • However, he occasionally recorded with non-band members, including later bop artists Charles Mingus and John Coltrane and other swing-era greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, and Louis Armstrong. 
  • As Strayhorn composed and orchestrated more music for the Ellington band, he began to share artistic traits with Ellington. 
  • Because Strayhorn and Ellington worked together so closely from 1939 to 1967, jazz researchers may have yet to know how much the talented deputy contributed to or even impacted the pieces credited to Ellington.
  • Following World War II, the Ellington band performed multiple times in Europe. It also made numerous trips to Asia (1963–1964–1970), West Africa (1966), South America (1968–1968), Australia (1970), and North America. Some of Ellington’s musicians stuck with him for decades despite this demanding schedule; Carney, for instance, was a band member for 47 years. 
  • Most of the time, successors filled in the roles their illustrious predecessors had created; after 1950, Webster’s solo tenor saxophone role in the band was filled by Paul Gonsalves, whom Webster heavily influenced. 
  • This generalization was only sometimes true, as demonstrated by the careers of high-note trumpet expert Cat Anderson and trumpeter-violinist Ray Nance.
  • Ellington, a pianist whose technique developed in ragtime and the stride piano idiom of Willie “The Lion” Smith and  James P. Johnson, was among the band’s members.
  • He modified his approach to symphonic work, providing colorful harmonic accompaniment and swinging solos with sharp melodies, particularly in later years. Elegantly dressed, Ellington conducted the band with a regal bearing while captivating spectators with his smooth humor. His career lasted over fifty years, or most of jazz’s recorded history. Up until just before his passing in 1974, he kept the band under his direction.
  • Ellington possessed a distinctive sense of musical drama, which he combined with the unique talents of his players and a broad spectrum of emotions. 
  • His command of auditory textures, rhythms, and compositional forms, together with his genius for melody, allowed him to transform his often nuanced and intricate perceptions into a body of work unmatched in jazz history. 
  • Charles Ives is the only possible contender to be crowned the most significant American composer. Music Is My Mistress, Ellington’s autobiography, was released in 1973. 

Duke Ellington Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Duke Ellington across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Duke Ellington. Ellington, one of the pioneers of big-band jazz, oversaw his group for over 50 years, wrote hundreds of pieces, and produced one of Western music’s most recognizable ensemble sounds.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Duke Ellington Facts
  2. Duke Ellington’s Life Timeline
  3. “Take the ‘A’ Train”
  4. Musical Elements
  5. Compare Jazz Evolution
  6. Create a Playlist
  7. Poster Design
  8. Watch an Orchestra
  9. My Lyrics 
  10. Music Sheet
  11. Converse with Duke Ellington

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Duke Ellington?

Duke Ellington was a prolific American composer, pianist, and bandleader, renowned as one of the most influential figures in jazz music history.

What was Duke Ellington’s contribution to jazz music?

Duke Ellington revolutionized jazz by incorporating elements of orchestral composition, blending different styles like blues, classical, and gospel into his music. He introduced extended compositions and thematic suites, expanding the possibilities of jazz as a sophisticated art form.

What are some of Duke Ellington’s most famous compositions?

Some of Duke Ellington’s most famous compositions include “Take the A Train,” “Mood Indigo,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” “Sophisticated Lady,” and “In a Sentimental Mood.”

How did Duke Ellington influence the jazz scene during his era?

Duke Ellington’s innovative arrangements and charismatic leadership transformed jazz into a concert hall art form, elevating its status from dance music to serious composition. His band, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, became a breeding ground for talent, nurturing the careers of many legendary jazz musicians.

What was Duke Ellington’s impact beyond music?

Duke Ellington’s influence extended beyond music into civil rights activism and cultural diplomacy. He used his fame and platform to advocate for racial equality and broke down barriers by touring extensively, both nationally and internationally, spreading American jazz culture worldwide.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Duke Ellington Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 20, 2024

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources