The King of All, Sir Duke: Ellington and the Artistic Revolution

The King of All, Sir Duke: Ellington and the Artistic Revolution

by PeterLavezzoli (Author)

Synopsis

Twenty-five years ago in his hit song, "Sir Duke," Stevie Wonder sings: "Music knows it is and always will be one of the things that life just won't quit. / Here are some of music's basic pioneers that time will not allow us to forget: / There's Basie, Miller, Satchmo, and the King of All, Sir Duke! / And with a voice like Ella's ringing out, there's no way the band can lose! / You can feel it all over!" To say that Ellington was a prominent jazz-band leader of the 20th century would be like saying William Shakespeare was simply a prominent English playwright of his time. This book begins with personal reflections as well as the life before going on to consider - through anecdote, musical scholarship and personal interviews - Ellington's profound and direct influence on an amazing range of pop artists: Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Miles Davis (who, in the ultimate tribute, had himself interred next to The Duke in New York's Woodlawn Cemetery), Sun Ra, James Brown, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Prince, Frank Zappa, Charles Mingus, Ravi Shankar and others.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
Edition: New edition
Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
Published: 27 Jun 2002

ISBN 10: 9780826414
ISBN 13: 9780826414045

Media Reviews
A labor of love.
--JazzTimes
Peter Lavezzoli has written a fine book about Duke Ellington, one that will find a home in many libraries and homes. The King of All, Sir Duke: Ellington and the Artistic Revolution reveals the wonder that was Duke Ellington. In addition to an excellent foreword, there is a section detailing Ellington, followed by selections concerning individuals touched in some way by Ellington. If you read only one jazz book this year, please make this the one you decide to read! A truly remarkable book. You can feel the man behind the legend, and you can fully comprehend what a great American talent and genius Duke Ellington was, and remains.
-www.jazzreview.com
A labor of love.
JazzTimes
Author Bio
Peter Lavezzoli, a lifelong devotee of Ellington and popular music, is himself a jazz musician and musicologist, when not on the road.