The Greatest Jazz Soloist Louis Armstrong - Free Essay Example

If you need a more music in you Spotify or Apple playlist, consider adding jazz music. Not just any ordinary jazz, jazz music that will sing in your ears. The vibrant melodies, some sad some sweet. How about adding Duke Ellington into that playlist. A great leading figure of jazz in the twentieth century. A man of many positions such as a big band leader, composer, and jazz pianist. As well as being a man of extraordinary vision and talent producing over 2000 compositions in his lifetime. His career spanning more than half a century. Edward Kennedy Ellington, known as Duke was born April 29, 1899, in Washington D.C. Both his parents James Edward and Daisy Ellington were pianists which is what probably inspire him to play a key when he was seven years old. Smart decision on his part because even his friends noticed his gracefulness of playing the piano as well as his manners which lead him to have the name Duke. How perceptive! The more he played the more determined he was. Over the span of years, he wrote his first composition, began creating musical groups, and started to book gigs. Moving to New York City in the mid-1920s he gained recognition for his work performing with his band in Broadway nightclubs as a bandleader of the sextet group. Ellington was very smart to get together a group of musicians with unique sounds embracing his phrase beyond category. So successful the band even played at a popular club called the Cotton Club in Harlem. From then on he started to create a musical recording with smaller groups if different kinds of bands (octets, sextets, etc.). Hit after hit he was becoming more known every day. In the early to mid-1940s, Ellington created a long-term goal which was to extend the jazz form from the three-minute song limit. Throughout his career, he has composed extended recording before, but the works now are a regular feature. Years go by and World War II brought a big end to the big band era because most musicians went into the military, but that did not stop Ellington from continuing on his own course. Which then eventually led him to a career revival around the 1950s where he was introduced to a new generation of music fans. His legacy remains in place. And to prove it he was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in 1999. Which was definitely earned. His music is broad and amazing. It shocked me to find out that he still created music until the day he died on May 24th, 1974. One of my favorite albums from him would have to be New Orleans Suite composed in 1970. The album consisting off songs called Bourbon Street, Portrait of Louis Armstrong, Thanks For The Beautiful Land On The Delta, and many more! One of my favorite songs on the album would probably be Aristocracy A La Jean Lafitte. Being in this Listening to Jazz class, I have stressed so much about how I adore music doing a slow crescendo into mellow tones of music and then going into vibrant loud paced music. Mainly because it gives my ears time to adjust to the tempo and style of the music. I would have to say that this song fits all my criteria for what I love in a jazz song. There may be flaws, but I adore it. The song lives up to its name. Aristocracy. The song definitely feels like something an aristocrat would listen to. The melody reminds me of some songs in the Disney movie The Aristocrats or maybe its just the name, either way, its a compliment. The song is definitely layered in stacks of sound. As it goes from mellow to crescendo tones, you can notice the tempo become faster and faster. Not quite sure if I like it, but its definitely unique in which I know Ellington was. I do however admire the instruments played. I could hear the trumpet, saxophone, piano, and drums as if they had their own voice. I liked that aspect of the song, but sometimes I feel like the instruments overplayed each other at times where it wasnt necessary. Sometimes I felt as though the song went off course. But overall a great listen and great musicians that have provided great music to the world.