Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo recounts the life and career of the legendary composer and bandleader, Duke Ellington. Born in the shadow of the White House in Washington, DC, where his father sometimes worked as a servant, Duke Ellington became one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century. Ellington's career lasted for more than 55 years, and his music has influenced modern musicians and musical styles. Transcending racial discrimination and boundaries, Ellington and his music occupy a prestigious position in the history of American music and entertainment. Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo would be useful for classes on American History, African American History, American Culture, and Music classes. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Part I

Part I chronicles Ellington's life and career from his childhood at the turn of the century to the early 1930s. Using interviews with friends and family, family photographs, and archival footage, it tells the story of Ellington's entrance into the musical world and the formation of his famous orchestra. It is the story of Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance, his years at the Cotton Club, and the racial restrictions of the era.

• castigated
• conjecture
• eclectic
• evocative
• exploited
• gourmet
• impeccable
• influential
• integration
• maestro
• manipulative
• orchestrated
• psychodynamics
• repertoire
• transcend
• vogue

1. One of Duke Ellington's friends said that he could create music of any color and be a musician of any color. What is meant by this statement?

2. Duke Ellington's real name was Edward Kennedy Ellington. How did he get the nickname "Duke?"

3. How did Duke Ellington's parents influence their son and his future career?

4. Duke Ellington arrived in Harlem at the height of what is known as the Harlem Renaissance. What was the Harlem Renaissance and what is its historical significance? How did the Harlem Renaissance influence Ellington? How did Ellington influence the Harlem Renaissance?

5. Historians of the Harlem Renaissance believe that the proliferation of talent during the period was the result of racial "ghettoization."What do they mean by "ghettoization" and how did it create the Renaissance?

6. What role did race and racial attitudes play in Duke Ellington's career?

7. The Cotton Club was the most famous nightclub in Harlem. It showcased all the major African American entertainers. Yet African Americans were not allowed to attend the Cotton Club as customers, only white customers attended the club. Every show at the Cotton Club included what was know as a "jungle number." Why did the Club mandate these acts? What does this indicate about racial attitudes in the early twentieth century?

8. Duke Ellington created popular songs that became commercial successes, yet he yearned to create more serious music. How was Ellington torn between his critical music and his commercial music?

1. Create a poster advertising the appearance of Duke Ellington and his orchestra at the famous Cotton Club in the late 1920s/early 1930s.

2. Research the Harlem Renaissance and write an essay about the people, places and events that make this such an important era in American history.