Duke Ellington

Born: April 29, 1899

By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world’s greatestcomposers and musicians. The French government honored him with theirhighest award, the Legion of Honor, while the government of the UnitedStates bestowed upon him the highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal ofFreedom. He played for the royalty and for the common people and by theend of his 50-year career, he had played over 20,000 performancesworldwide. He was The Duke, Duke Ellington.

Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the world on April 29, 1899 inWashington, D.C. Duke’s parents, Daisy Kennedy Ellington and James EdwardEllington, served as ideal role models for young Duke, and taught himeverything from proper table manners to an understanding of the emotionalpower of music. Duke’s first piano lessons came around the age of seven oreight and appeared not to have had that much lasting effect upon him. Itseemed as if young Duke was more inclined to baseball at a young age.

The Giants Of Jazz

By Frank Sinatra

Label: uMe
Released: 2025
Track listing: It Might As Well Be Swing

1. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
2. I Wish You Love
3. I Believe In You
4. More (Theme From Mondo Cane)
5. I Can��T Stop Loving You
6. Hello, Dolly! (From Hello, Dolly!)
7. I Wanna Be Around
8. The Best Is Yet To Come
9. The Good Life
10. Wives And Lovers

Francis A. & Edward K.:

1. Follow Me
2. Sunny
3. All I Need Is The Girl
4. Indian Summer
5. I Like The Sunrise
6. Yellow Days
7. Poor Butterfly
8. Come Back To Me

Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong & John Coltrane

by Joe Dimino
September 7, 2025

Welcome to a special themed hour of jazz as we journey deep into the pages of Larry Tye's acclaimed book Jazz Men. This compelling work brings to life the triumphs, struggles, and sheer brilliance of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong--three giants who not only shaped jazz but also helped move America forward during an ...

Larry Tye: The Jazzmen Who Changed American History

by Lawrence Peryer
September 6, 2025

Today, the Spotlight shines on bestselling author and journalist Larry Tye. Larry's latest book, The Jazzmen, tells the story of how Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie transformed America. But this isn't just another music biography. Larry explores nearly every aspect of the lives and music of these men and demonstrates how their ...

George Coleman: George Coleman with Strings

by Jack Kenny
September 2, 2025

The allure of recording with strings has captivated many jazz icons, from Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie to, most famously, Charlie Parker. For some, it is a pursuit of a different kind of respectability, an envying nod to the classical world. For George Coleman, a revered NEA Jazz Master, it was a chance to expand his ...

Emma Hedrick: Newcomer

by Pierre Giroux
August 31, 2025

In the competitive world of young jazz vocalists, Emma Hedrick stands out as an artist who both respects tradition and offers a distinctive personal voice. On her confident debut album Newcomer, she channels seven years of lived experiences into 10 original compositions that serve as a musical memoir of that period, while never losing sight of ...

The Summer Knows (un ��t�� 42)

by Artur Moral
August 30, 2025

Not so young, but still foolish: arduous is the path chosen by pianist, composer and singer Franck Amsallem, a lesser-known figure--outside his immediate performance circle--even among some of the jazz world's most avid and encyclopedic enthusiasts. Nevertheless, this musician's name should appear in that roster of outstanding French baby boomer keyboardists mentioned in Pierre de Bethmann: ...

Aru��n Ortiz: Cr��ole Renaissance

by Jack Kenny
August 28, 2025

Cuban Cubism is central to Aru��n Ortiz's musical identity--but in this album, his vision extends far beyond. While the 1930s Negritude movement was a literary endeavor, Ortiz seeks to embody that movement not through words but through music. His compositions channel their spirit with abstraction, tension, and a deep sense of diasporic reflection. Ortiz, ...

Jazz & Wine in Montalcino 2025

by Marco Iacoboni
August 26, 2025

Jazz & Wine in Montalcino 2025 Castello Poggio alle Mura; Fortezza Montalcino (SI) 22--27 luglio2025 Dal 22 al 27 luglio 2025, il maestoso Castello Poggio alle Mura e la storica Fortezza di Montalcino hanno ospitato la ventottesima edizione del Jazz & Wine in Montalcino. Organizzato dalla Fondazione Banfi, in collaborazione con ...

Trio and Quintet

by C. Michael Bailey
August 23, 2025

Pianist and composer Elmo Hope has more in common with Tadd Dameron than most of his other jazz peers. Both men were primarily composers and arrangers who concentrated on their own music rather than standards. Both men spent their professional lives in New York City during the twilight of bebop and the flourishing of hard bop. ...