Ellington: The Early Years (Music in American Life)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.97 (646 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0252014251 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 343 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-08-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
A biography of Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington recounts his childhood, the nurturing influence of his family and African-American community, early successes on the Harlem nightclub scene, and eventual fame as a bandleader and composer.
"A little techical for nonmusicians after the second half" according to J-Rock. Tucker is an outstanding researcher and this book adds a great deal of valuable information to Duke Ellington's early years. He provides a solid context for Duke Ellington's development in the Washington music scene. You can see how Duke soaked up neighborhood piano, ragime, and ensemble influences as he evolved from musical entrepreneur to fledgling composer. This early section added a lot of well-researched info to my knowledge of Ellington.As the scene shifts to New York, the emphasis on personality, character, and context shifts and Tucker shifts largely to extremely detailed music