Duke Ellington

1. He Created a style of sophisticated Jazz different from the rest of the Jazz He played the piano, led an orchestra, and made over 2000 pieces of music He got the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his 70th birthday party in the White House gave by President Nixon. Duke Ellington

2. Duke Ellington played the piano, led an orchestra and made over 2000 pieces of music. He was Edward Kennedy Ellington but got his nickname Duke by a classmate in Washington, D.C. Duke didn’t like piano lessons in elementary school, but his parents made him, and actually he would have rather played basketball. His parents made him practice every day. He quit eventually and didn’t become interested again until he was a teenager. He would say that he would only play piano to attract the girls. He was invited from a waiter he worked with to go see ragtime pianist, Harvey Brooks. That is when Duke got really interested in the way Brooks played and music. That is when Duke made himself play like Brooks and soon Duke became really good and played for high school dances and composed songs. He moved to New York and played in jazz clubs, saloons, and dance halls. Then after that he was leading his own band in Times Square. In 1927, he got a gig at the cotton club, which was a good jazz spot in Harlem. That was for eleven years and then his band took off to tour the country and make movies in Hollywood. Later in Life, he got the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his 70th birthday party in the White House gave by President Nixon.

3. He played New Orleans Style of Jazz He played the piano, composed music, but he was a gambler, pool shark, and a pimp before that. He was the first to compose a piece of music in the time 78 Jelly Roll MOrton

4. Jelly Roll Morton Jelly Roll Morton, whose real name is Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe, also had the nickname Winding Boy was born in New Orleans, but then traveled around the United States as a gambler, pool shark, pimp, vaudeville comedian, and pianist. In 1923 he settled down in Chicago and made his first record. He recorded his band, the Red Hot Peppers, playing a New Orleans style jazz with piano, trumpets, clarinets, and trombones. He arranged a piece of music in time of 78 and was the first to do so. He soon became washed up during the depression, and he was denied membership in the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) because of his skin color. They took his music, but never gave him the money. He said “I’ve been robbed of three million dollars all told. Everyone today is playing my stuff and I don’t even get credit”. Later people started being interested in his music again, but he had to give up his love of his career in 1940 because he became very ill.

5. He played Jazz music He played the piano, composed music, and was a mentor for other well known players such as Duke Ellington He went through six decades of style of music but stayed true to his own style and kept playing until he died. Willie “The Lion” Smith

6. Willie “The Lion” Smith Willie “The Lion” Smith composed over one hundred songs. He got his nickname from his Bravery during World War I. His Mother made him play in his church by age 6. Willie enlisted in the army and became the drum major for his unit and after returning from war he made himself one of Harlem’s most well known piano players. He would love to make contest with other piano players. He then became a mentor for younger musicians such as Duke Ellington. He toured Europe in 1949 and again in the 60’s. He lived through six decades of music and stayed true to himself and his own style. He played right until he died April 1973 and today his music is still strong.