The Greatest Songs by Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington, born Edward Kennedy Ellington, is one of the most influential jazz icons in history. He was a pianist, composer, and bandleader. Born in Washington DC, he rose to fame in New York during the big band era of the 1920s with his Orchestra’s performances at the Cotton Club in Harlem. He led his famous band for almost five decades until his death in 1974. Ellington holds the distinction for being the most recorded jazz composer in history. He is also considered by many as one of America’s all-time greatest songwriters. Several of his musical compositions and arrangements have become respected jazz standards today. But the composer did not appreciate his music being referred to as jazz. He preferred the term “beyond category” as he did not want his music to be boxed down by genres. The Duke Ellington Orchestra was one of the most successful bands in the history of swing music in USA. It featured some of the greatest musicians of the time, such as Johnny Hudges, Ben Webster, Jimmy Blanton, Billy Strayhorn, and more.

In this blog, we take a look at some of the most famous tracks composed by Duke Ellington.

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

This upbeat dancing number is one of the most defining songs from the swing era of music. Ivie Anderson, the leading vocalist for Duke Ellington Orchestra for over a decade, gave her voice to the original recording of this song which released in 1932. But the song was re-recorded a number of times and has plenty of versions, including renditions by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. The lyrics in this track are a representation of the essence of swing music – that no matter how technically impressive a track might be, it doesn’t create any magic if it is missing the feel-good nature and buoyant tempo of a typical swing song.

Mood Indigo

One of the many Duke Ellington compositions that became a Jazz standard, Mood Indigo was first released in 1930. With lyrics written by Irving Mills, the song was co-composed by clarinetist Barney Bigard. Ellington was known for his innovative musical arrangements and this song offered a first glimpse of that unique talent. During those days, the traditional front-line of instruments were played in a certain order – the clarinet would play at the highest pitch, the trumpet would be in middle, and the trombone would be at the lowest pitch. In the Mood Indigo track, the trombone plays at the highest pitch with the clarinet going the lowest. Inverting the role of these instruments created a new and unusual tone in the studio. Jazz vocalist, Yvonne Luanauze (real name Eve Duke) gave her vocals for this song.

Caravan

Composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, this Jazz standard composition was first recorded in 1936. Written by Irving Mills, Caravan is one of Ellington’s most famous songs. Tizol was a trombonist from Peurto Rico, which is why this track co-composed by him is said to have a Spanish tinge to its sound. This track has been recorded more than 350 times in different versions by various artists.

Prelude to a Kiss

Written by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills, Ellington composed this ballad in 1938. He chose to experiment with complex melodies and harmonies similar to that of classical music with ‘Prelude to a Kiss’ at a time when the cheerful beats of swing music were at its peak. The composition is complex and chromatic with a middle section that is full of interesting musical notes and wide intervals. In terms of musical complexity, this is one of Ellington’s finest ballads.

Cotton Tail

A 1940 composition, Cotton Tail is most notable for the classic two-chorus solo by the tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. The song itself is based on the chord progression of the jazz standard “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin. The track was originally an instrumental, but lyrics were added later by Ellington first, and later by Jon Hendricks.

Conclusion

Duke Ellington had a pioneering influence on the development of jazz and swing music in USA. With more than 1000 recordings to his name, the above list is a very small attempt at chronicling some of his best compositions.