DUKE IN 10
Stereophile|September 2024
TO COMMEMORATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DUKE'S DEATH, ROBERT BAIRD SELECTS A DOUBLE HANDFUL OF EXEMPLARY TRACKS FROM PERHAPS AMERICA'S GREATEST MUSICAL GENIUS.
DUKE IN 10

Duke Ellington's death 50 years ago was a massive loss for American music. Elegantly attired, beautifully spoken, and always the picture of sophistication, the African-American icon was one of the greatest composers of American music ever, regardless of genre.

Edward Kennedy Ellington led the Duke Ellington Orchestra (pointedly not a band) from the piano for more than 40 years, using hands and facial gestures instead of a baton. He used charm, flattery, and a deep understanding of human psychology to bind his virtuosos to the orchestra and get the sounds he wanted. Often in collaboration with arranger/composer Billy Strayhorn, the great unsung hero of Ellington's story, Ellington composed music of all lengths and for all occasions for the orchestra he toured the world with from the 1920s into the 1970s.

So massive is Ellington's recorded legacy that it tends, much like Miles Davis's, to divide fans into groups committed to specific periods. Because his early manager, Irving Mills, had him record for a variety of labels, his recorded catalog of tracks has more than 1000 entries. He also had a penchant for recording live performances, further expanding his catalog. Today, his vast catalog is accessible across all corners of the planet, much of it on music-streaming services.

Looking for something comprehensive? Far and away the best survey on physical media, covering almost his whole career, is The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (19271973), which fills 24 CDs and was issued in 1999. An alternative intended for streaming sites is Sony's excellent Ellington in Order series, which is licensed across labels and includes material from his stints with RCA and Columbia.

This comparatively tiny sample of Ellington's music is meant to mark the 50th anniversary of the great man's passing. In researching this feature, I stuck to domestic (US) labels and widely available releases.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM STEREOPHILEView all
Louis in London
Stereophile

Louis in London

No jazz-centric visit to New York City is complete without a trek out to Queens. At 46th Street in Sunnyside stands the apartment building where famed cornetist Leon Bismark \"Bix\" Beiderbecke's alcoholism finally killed him in 1931.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
Believing in bricks and mortar
Stereophile

Believing in bricks and mortar

North Carolina hi-fi dealer Audio Advice has been busy lately.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
Musical Fidelity AI
Stereophile

Musical Fidelity AI

In 1989, I bought my second pair of Rogers LS3/5a's from a guy on Staten Island who had them hooked up to a Musical Fidelity AI integrated amplifier.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
Burmester 218
Stereophile

Burmester 218

As much as I tinkered with a little crystal radio as a child and started reading stereo magazines in high school, it wasn't until my early 30s that I half-stumbled into the higher end of the hi-fi sphere.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature
Stereophile

Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature

The \"Bowers\" in the name of British manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) refers to founder John Bowers, whom I got to know fairly well before he passed in 1987.

time-read
9 mins  |
October 2024
Hegel H400
Stereophile

Hegel H400

STREAMING INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
Stereophile

SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle

How many times have you been told by parents and teachers that everything successful must be built on a strong foundation?

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
RECOMMENDED RC2024 COMPONENTS
Stereophile

RECOMMENDED RC2024 COMPONENTS

Every product listed here has been reviewed in Stereophile. Everything on the list, regardless of rating, is genuinely recommendable.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
Paging Dr. Löfgren
Stereophile

Paging Dr. Löfgren

It started one evening when I was killing time watching YouTube videos and stumbled across a 2017 talk given by Jonathan Carr, Lyra's brilliant cartridge designer.'

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024
Music among the Fairchildren
Stereophile

Music among the Fairchildren

Pull down the shades, find a comfortable seat, and come with me on an imaginary journey to the year 1956. The Eisenhower-Nixon ticket wins reelection, the United Methodist Church begins to ordain women, and a can of Campbell's tomato soup costs 10 cents.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024