A Life Beyond Category: Duke Ellington

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Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington is rightfully recognized as one of the most influential composers and musicians of the American culture as well as jazz music. His influence on both is immeasurable and duly credited with the impressive volume of awards he has received both during his life and posthumously, which include, among others, the highest civilian honors of the USA and France (Whitaker 269). All this should be considered keeping in mind that he was trotting a relatively untraveled path – establishing jazz music on a world scene. Looking at his life and career, which seems to be comprised entirely of achievements, one can easily call it an example of success. Duke himself, however, took a little less elevated approach.

During the celebration of his sixtieth birthday, he famously left behind the anthology of his music’s transcripts (Howland 331). Does that mean he has frowned upon acknowledgment of his work? I think not. He was always glad to see his work is appreciated. Was he an ethereal genius who cared little about if his contribution matters? Again, I think that would be unlikely. He was always there for his audience, and always enjoyed his work being praised. He just never stopped to marvel at it, choosing instead to move forward, relentlessly. Despite the popular concept of the genius brimming with ideas who just can’t control all the masterpieces pouring from him, Ellington was tirelessly working, ceaselessly, and productively. That, I think, what was a success to him – seeing that his work is appreciated and feeling he could go on with it.

Despite being credited as a groundbreaking jazz musician, Duke Ellington distanced himself from the term, characterizing his work as “American music” or “Negro Music”. According to Tucker, he did not appreciate the idea of categorizing at all and emphasized that music could only be good or bad (Tucker 456). He is famously credited as being “beyond category”, a definition introduced by Billy Strayhorn and used by Ellington since (Tucker 364). While not being bound by formal limitations is a trait often attributed to jazz music, this is a principle that can be seen throughout Duke’s life and career. He has often challenged the established traditions and stereotypes. As a result, he is credited, among other things, for turning the tides for jazz music almost entirely on his own.

It is a fact that before his emergence jazz was the music mostly played for black people while Ellington’s performances proved to be popular among the white population, which was almost unheard of at the time. How did he do that? It’s difficult to isolate a single cause, but I think this is at least in part due to his ignorance of the black music stereotypes. Instead of fighting them, he just banished them from his music, leaving the African-American values and experiences intact. A subtle approach that proved to be a success, preparing the minds of the public for acceptance of both artistic and cultural diversity. This “beyond category” approach to life, as well as his tremendous productivity, should serve the examples to anyone seeking for success.

Ellington has lived long enough to fully experience the appreciation of his work by both the public and the scholars. He was wildly successful and influential, with his influence stretching far beyond the realm of his preferred music genre (if there ever was such a thing). Besides the already mentioned multitude of awards, including, but not limited to, 12 Grammy awards, 9 works featured in the Grammy Hall of Fame and countless honors and inductions (“GRAMMY Hall Of Fame List”), he was a source of inspiration for a number of musicians, including Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (“Duke Ellington Biography par. 8”). The standards he introduced are now firmly embedded in the popular culture, acting as tropes in media. But perhaps his crowning achievement is his contribution to the change in social climate.

While not being a political activist and not taking an aggressive stand, he instead contributed to the struggle for racial equality by emphasizing African American experience and downplaying racial stereotypes (Cohen 291). This is not frequently listed among his achievements, probably because he never openly declared it as his goal. But his motivation can be seen in his famous statement “My men and my race are the inspiration of my work. I try to catch the character and mood and feeling of my people” (“Duke Ellington Biography” par. 6). While more a political achievement, its artistic value cannot be underestimated, if we remember that jazz music was itself a victim of racial tension in the US at the time, and it was largely thanks to Ellington that it was introduced as a major part of the American culture instead of a niche product. His work on the music for Hollywood films, most notably, “Anatomy of a Murder”, can also be considered a contribution to this matter, being a rare case of African American music used as a soundtrack for a Hollywood film.

Ellington’s music is hard to characterize, as he was constantly experimenting with it. It never solidified into a recognizable pattern which could be defined, following his “beyond category” principle. Instead, improvisation was his staple mark. He was known for trying to combine the instruments in an unusual way. He also reached out for the musicians who used their instrument in the most unusual way to produce as unique a sound as possible. His orchestra was comprised almost entirely of such “individualists”, including James Miley, Ray Nance, Juan Tizol, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges, among others. The most well-known example of this is the band’s characteristic plunger mute style of playing, known as “The Jungle Sound,” introduced to the band by the trumpeter Bubber Miley. The same could be said about his use of vocals as an instrument, most prominently featured in “Creole Love Call,” recorded in 1927 with Adelaïde Hall. Ellington also added elements of World music into his works, from more common African motives to oriental passages, to church music featured in his Sacred Concert series. All these can be described in one word – innovation. It is interesting to see how one man’s bold experimentation is almost entirely accepted nowadays as a part of the established standard.

The film “Love You Madly” is a collection of interviews and performances by Ellington and his band. Instead of presenting the complete concert footage, the film instead chooses to follow the narrative approach, listening to what Duke and his band members can say. Described by Duke himself as “the best film about Duke Ellington ever made” (Ellington 449), it offers the insight into the band’s impact on American culture and art.

Works Cited

Cohen, Harvey G. “The Marketing of Duke Ellington: Setting the Strategy for an African American Maestro.” The Journal of African American History 89.4 (2004): 291-315. Print.

Duke Ellington Biography2008. Web.

Ellington, Edward K. Music is My Mistress, New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1980. Print.

GRAMMY Hall of Fame List 2016. Web.

Howland, John. “Ellingtonia, Historically Speaking.” The Musical Quarterly 96.3 (2013): 331-338. Print.

Tucker, Mark. The Duke Ellington Reader, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1995. Print.

Whitaker, Matthew C. Icons of Black America, Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011. Print.

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A Life Beyond Category: Duke Ellington

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