http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/317827256

Duke Ellington's America

Few American artists in any medium have enjoyed the international and lasting cultural impact of Duke Ellington. From jazz standards to his longer, more orchestral suites, to his leadership of the stellar big band with which he toured and performed for decades after most big bands folded, Ellington represented a singular, pathbreaking force in music over the course of a half-century. At the same time, as one of the most prominent black public figures in history, Ellington demonstrated leadership on questions of civil rights, equality, and America's role in the world. Cultural historian Harvey G. Cohen paints a vivid picture of Ellington's life and times, taking him from his youth in black middle-class Washington, D.C., to worldwide acclaim. Mining extensive archives, many never before available, plus new interviews with Ellington's friends, family, band members, and business associates, Cohen illuminates his constantly evolving approach to composition, performance, and the music business--as well as issues of race, equality and religion.--From publisher description.

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