Duke Ellington Day

Duke Ellington Day History

Duke Ellington Day commemorates the life of jazz musician Edward Kennedy Ellington. Born April 29th, 1899 in Washington D.C., Ellington was a famous American composer, pianist, and bandleader of a jazz orchestra that performed at Harlem's Cotton Club during the 1920s. In the 1930s, his music spread internationally as he and his orchestra toured through Europe. Ellington is considered to have elevated the status of jazz from mere music to an art form. Ellington’s career, which saw him write nearly 2000 compositions, many of which continue to inspire jazz artists today, spanned nearly five decades until he passed away in New York City in May of 1974.

In 1999, Ellington was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize to commemorate the centennial of his birth and his contributions to music. A decade later, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg declared April 29th, 2009 as Duke Ellington Day in honor of his 110th birthday.

Top 10 Facts for Duke Ellington Day in 2026

• The observance of Duke Ellington Day honors the legacy of a man whose influence on 20th-century culture extends far beyond the realm of music. Here are some of the most compelling and searchable facts regarding the legendary artist and the holiday established in his name:
  
  Duke Ellington was born Edward Kennedy Ellington, but he earned his lifelong moniker from a childhood friend who noticed his regal air, elegant dress, and gentlemanly manners, which reminded his peers of a member of the nobility.
• Although he is primarily remembered as a jazz icon, Ellington preferred to describe his work as American Music rather than jazz, as he felt the latter term was too restrictive for his expansive, genre-defying compositions.
• He wrote his very first composition, titled Soda Fountain Rag, at the age of 15 while working as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Café in Washington, D.C., long before he had even learned to read or write musical notation.
• Duke Ellington Day was officially established in 2009 by the Mayor of New York City to commemorate the composer’s birthday and celebrate his profound impact on the city's cultural landscape, particularly during the Harlem Renaissance.
• During his prolific career spanning over fifty years, he composed an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 musical works, including standards such as Mood Indigo, Sophisticated Lady, and It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing).
• While he is often associated with the song Take the 'A' Train, the piece was actually written by his longtime collaborator and protégé Billy Strayhorn, though it became the signature theme for the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
• He was a pioneer of the jungle style of jazz, which utilized innovative techniques like muted trumpets and "growling" brass sounds to create a unique and exotic sonic atmosphere during his residency at the Cotton Club.
• In 1999, twenty-five years after his death, the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded him a posthumous Special Citation to recognize his massive contributions to music, making him one of the few jazz artists to receive such an honor.
• Ellington used his artistic platform to advocate for civil rights, notably through the 1943 premiere of Black, Brown and Beige, a three-movement suite intended to tell the history of African Americans through music.
• His transition into film scoring was groundbreaking, and he became the first African American to compose a non-source score for a major motion picture with his work on the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder.

In the News and Trending for Duke Ellington Day

Top things to do for Duke Ellington Day

• Attend the Ellington Jazz Series, which have been held and organized by Yale School of Music for more than 40 years. This year's Piano Jazz Summit will take place on Friday, March 4, 2016 7:30PM at the Morse Recital Hall in Yale (New Haven, CT 06511, United States).
• Honor Duke Ellington Day by listening to his music. Ellington's most popular recordings: It Don't Mean a Thing (1931), Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue (1937), and Take the 'A' Train (1939).
• Take a walk to Duke Ellington Boulevard in New York City (aka W 106th St).
• Visit the memorial statue to Ellington in New York Central Park. It is located at the intersection of Fifth avenue and 110th street.
• Visit or participate in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival. In 2016, the competition and festival will be held on May 5-7th, at Rose Hall, New York.