Life and Times of Duke Ellington

More than any other musician in the early 20th century, Duke Ellington brought jazz into the nightclubs and later into the living rooms of America. The music he played sprang in part from the blues and gospel rhythms of the plantation slaves living in the mid-19th century, infused with the sounds of ragtime from the turn of the century. Jazz has been called the first musical form created in the United States. It was a type of sharp improvisation for which band members played anything they wanted along a chosen key or set of chords, so every night the music was different. Duke led with his piano playing, but he allowed the various other members of his band to shine, too.Bankston, John is the author of 'Life and Times of Duke Ellington', published 2004 under ISBN 9781584152484 and ISBN 1584152486.