Duke Ellington Studies

This book surveys the breadth, richness, and meaning of Duke Ellington's celebrated career, examining his impact on jazz music and its surrounding culture.

This book explores the rich and influential career of one of jazz music's central figures, from his work as a composer to his cultural legacy in jazz, popular music and modern media. Leading authors offer clear, engaging, and scholarly insights into Duke Ellington's work and critical reception, from musical, historical, and international perspectives.Duke Ellington (1899–1974) is widely considered the jazz tradition's most celebrated composer. This engaging yet scholarly volume explores his long career and his rich cultural legacy from a broad range of in-depth perspectives, from the musical and historical to the political and international. World-renowned scholars and musicians examine Ellington's influence on jazz music, its criticism, and its historiography. The chronological structure of the volume allows a clear understanding of the development of key themes, with chapters surveying his work and his reception in America and abroad. By both expanding and reconsidering the contexts in which Ellington, his orchestra, and his music are discussed, Duke Ellington Studies reflects a wealth of new directions that have emerged in jazz studies, including focuses on music in media, class hierarchy discourse, globalization, cross-cultural reception, and the role of marketing, as well as manuscript score studies and performance studies.