On Duke Ellington’s birthday

Edward Kennedy Ellington was born 127 years ago today.

It’s a good day to watch or rewatch On the Road with Duke Ellington (dir. Robert Drew), an hour-long Bell Telephone Hour episode that aired in 1967 and again, with a brief prologue, after Ellington’s death in 1974. Among the highlights: Ellington talking with Louis Armstrong (9:25), calling room service to ask after his hot water (12:52), leading the band in a recording studio (22:20), playing his first composition, “Soda Fountain Rag” (29:46), and talking about Billy Strayhorn (40:20).

It astonishes me to realize that Duke Ellington’s music has been improving my quality of life for more than fifty years.

Related reading
All OCA Duke Ellington posts (Pinboard)