Duke Ellington's America-- What Gives?

[MomsMobley]

Anyone peep this yet? I fast-read it in the library before and after my prostate massage last week and... well, if I had a hammer and hundred bucks, I'd pay Larry Kart to review it but maybe he's got a library nearby also? (U of Chicago Press SHOULD have asked LK to blurb, though perhaps they did and he-- and others-- demured?) Regardless, I think, briefly, Cohen knows the Duke archive much better than he does American cultural history so there are some weirdly skewed and screwy summaries; there is, however, also more careful consideration of Duke's post World War II career than I recall seeing elsewhere so... it's worth a peek at least and it's definitely better-- if less slick-- than Terry Teachout's underwhelming Louis Armstrong bio. The great Duke biography does not exist but other than Mark Tucker's "Early Ellington," this is probably the second best, flaws and all. (It's definitely better than the fraudulent "Music Is My Mistress.")

Harvey Cohen's Duke Ellington bio

Edited June 30, 2010 by MomsMobley

[Larry Kart]

Anyone peep this yet? I fast-read it in the library before and after my prostate massage last week and... well, if I had a hammer and hundred bucks, I'd pay Larry Kart to review it but maybe he's got a library nearby also? (U of Chicago Press SHOULD have asked LK to blurb, though perhaps they did and he-- and others-- demured?) Regardless, I think, briefly, Cohen knows the Duke archive much better than he does American cultural history so there are some weirdly skewed and screwy summaries; there is, however, also more careful consideration of Duke's post World War II career than I recall seeing elsewhere so... it's worth a peek at least and it's definitely better-- if less slick-- than Terry Teachout's underwhelming Louis Armstrong bio. The great Duke biography does not exist but other than Mark Tucker's "Early Ellington," this is probably the second best, flaws and all. (It's definitely better than the fraudulent "Music Is My Mistress.")

Harvey Cohen's Duke Ellington bio

I'll look for it at the local library (it's a good one).

[marcello]

I've read it and like it very much, especially for all of the information regarding Ellington's later work and life.

[tranemonk]

Here's my review of it on amazon...

"This book is an outstanding analysis of the person Duke Ellington was. Having followed his music to a modest degree I was intrigued about the author's focus on Ellington as a person and his socio-political views. The book is extremely well-written and easy to read. I disagree with the recent NYTimes review which argued that although they liked the book, their criticism was the lack of discussion about Ellington's music. In this case, I think it's completely appropriate and helpful NOT to go into technical discussions about Ellington's music. I am not a musician and I'm not interested in the specifics about technically what Ellington did. As Ellington himself would not, if the music moves you (e.g., the listener) then that's what matters. My personal feeling is that if you want to understand/hear Ellington's music, you buy the music and draw your own conclusions.

Cohen's focus on Ellington's 1960's work was also very illuminative. I liked his analysis about how Ellington (to a fault) refused to acknowledge his age (and impending mortality).

My ONLY significant wish about this book is that Cohen should have contrasted Ellington with other seminal African-American artists who were in similar positions to Ellington (although at different points in his life). For example there is virtually no discussion about the roles of Paul Robeson, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, John Coltrane or Marian Anderson, all of whom held unique positions as African-American artists. The lack of comparison/contrast to particularly Robeson, Cole (and to a lesser degree Louis Armstrong - who Cohen does discuss a little more), creates the false impression that Ellington was truly alone as a prominent African-American artist. The sole compatriot which Cohen does draw an analogy to is Langston Hughes which is a thoughtful and insightful analysis.

Another minor point of regret is I wish Cohen had discussed Ellington's relationship with Billy Strayhorn more. Although he does discuss how Strayhorn's death affected Ellington, there is a lot more which could be discussed.

Overall if you want to understand who Duke Ellington was and his contributions to American culture (and obviously jazz) I would highly recommend this book."

[ghost of miles]

Anyone peep this yet? I fast-read it in the library before and after my prostate massage last week and... well, if I had a hammer and hundred bucks, I'd pay Larry Kart to review it but maybe he's got a library nearby also? (U of Chicago Press SHOULD have asked LK to blurb, though perhaps they did and he-- and others-- demured?) Regardless, I think, briefly, Cohen knows the Duke archive much better than he does American cultural history so there are some weirdly skewed and screwy summaries; there is, however, also more careful consideration of Duke's post World War II career than I recall seeing elsewhere so... it's worth a peek at least and it's definitely better-- if less slick-- than Terry Teachout's underwhelming Louis Armstrong bio. The great Duke biography does not exist but other than Mark Tucker's "Early Ellington," this is probably the second best, flaws and all. (It's definitely better than the fraudulent "Music Is My Mistress.")

Harvey Cohen's Duke Ellington bio

Moms, I've read it and am working on a review for the Night Lights blog (hopefully up this weekend). Agree avidly w/your concluding points re: lack of a great Duke bio and that this book stands now as one of the better ones out there. (In addition to EARLY ELLLINGTON, the ELLINGTON READER that Tucker edited is also an excellent compendium for Ducal fans.) I'll post a link to my review after I've posted it.

[AllenLowe]

there was an excellent New Yorker review of this book by Claudia Pierpont -

[king ubu]

any relation?

[J.A.W.]

One of the leading Dutch newspapers reviewed Cohen's Ellington bio and Teachout's Armstrong bio. The Ellington bio was rated good, the Armstrong bio just OK.

Any more opinions here on the Ellington?

[ghost of miles]

Well, gents, it's finally up, fwiw:

He, Too, Was America: Duke Ellington's Sepia Panorama

Tranemonk, I had the same reaction as you re: Strayhorn when I read the book last summer.

[A Lark Ascending]

“How do black artists write about the history, character, and problems connected with race and create great art and understanding without it devolving into polemic? And how do such minority artists develop a large enough audience to support their art, while staying true to their ideals?… Ellington accomplished this feat over his long career by creatively celebrating the black American experience without standing on a soapbox.”

That's an interesting observation from the book, David.

I've always been impressed by the subtle way Ellington handled politics. You don't feel as if you are being beaten over the head with a particular political idea. But the issues he addresses linger.

There's a fair few musicians with a political slant of their own who could learn from that approach.

I've been toying with getting this book. You've convinced me.

[medjuck]

It's a the third or fourth EKE bio I've read. It does add a bit to the other ones and is well documented. A new idea (to me at last) was how important Duke's "image" was to him and his managers and how it differed from that of other black musicians of the time.

I do wish his biographers would be less discrete about his relationship to his (apparently) many sexual partners. I'm not looking for salacious details but how about a list of who his girlfriends were at various times. And there was a rumour that Ruth Ellington was not his sister but his daughter from a youthful affair. Does any know anything about the veracity of that story? (And I wouldn't have mentioned that on the internet if Ruth were still alive.)

[tranemonk]

It really is a great read. One of the very interesting parts is the juxtaposition of Ellington and the mainstream civil rights movement. I think he (Cohen) handles this part very well. After reading it I became particularly interested in the political role Ellington chose to play in WWII (vis-a-vis) the Treasury Shows...

“How do black artists write about the history, character, and problems connected with race and create great art and understanding without it devolving into polemic? And how do such minority artists develop a large enough audience to support their art, while staying true to their ideals?… Ellington accomplished this feat over his long career by creatively celebrating the black American experience without standing on a soapbox.”

That's an interesting observation from the book, David.

I've always been impressed by the subtle way Ellington handled politics. You don't feel as if you are being beaten over the head with a particular political idea. But the issues he addresses linger.

There's a fair few musicians with a political slant of their own who could learn from that approach.

I've been toying with getting this book. You've convinced me.

[Chuck Nessa]

Duke was an amazing and elusive human. I don't blame him.

[JSngry]

Duke was an amazing and elusive human. I don't blame him.

For being amazing and elusive?

I don't either. All things considered, it's about the only real "win" you can hope for in live that doesn't involve some kind of luck.

Edited September 17, 2010 by JSngry

[bertrand]

Prostate massage?

[AllenLowe]

not today, Bertrand, I have to work.

Edited September 17, 2010 by AllenLowe

[gmonahan]

not today, Bertrand, I have to work.

gregmo

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Has anyone else been bugged by the prominent typos and erroneous assertions? Just two examples I remember: The island of Cyprus misspelled as "Cypress" and Tito-era Yugoslavia referred to as a "Soviet satellite state".

[medjuck]

Has anyone else been bugged by the prominent typos and erroneous assertions? Just two examples I remember: The island of Cyprus misspelled as "Cypress" and Tito-era Yugoslavia referred to as a "Soviet satellite state".

There were a couple of mis-statements about EKE alos but nothing serious. BTW does anyone else remember Duke wearing an earring near the end of his life?

In my earlier post I forgot to mention that one of the revelations to me was the existence of a written narratives to Black, Brown and Beige that Ellington decided not to use though he obviously spent some time writing it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Last time I saw Duke was in 1972. I think I would have noticed an earring over the few days spent around him then.

[medjuck]

Last time I saw Duke was in 1972. I think I would have noticed an earring over the few days spent around him then.

No one else seems to have seen one either but Cohen makes a passing reference to it.

[Hot Ptah]

Last time I saw Duke was in 1972. I think I would have noticed an earring over the few days spent around him then.

Was that during his two week stay in Madison in the spring of 1972?

[Chuck Nessa]

Yes. Mr. Ellington provided us with passes to all the concerts and "master classes". He also summoned us to chat.

[Hot Ptah]

Yes. Mr. Ellington provided us with passes to all the concerts and "master classes". He also summoned us to chat.

I regret very much that I did not arrive in Madison until two years later! Why the quote marks around master classes?

[Chuck Nessa]

Said classes were a wonderful mix of stories and demonstrations - much better than real Master Classes.

Nothing like seeing Two Ton Baker roll onto the stage when Duke invited him for a 2 piano demonstration. The emotional highlight for me involved Paul Gonsalves in one of Duke's afternoon sessions. Paul had missed the previous night concert in Milwaukee - for the usual reason. Midway through Duke's presentation the auditorium door opened and there was a small disruption. Gonsalves came down the aisle with tenor in hand - he had tears streaming down his face. I was sitting next to Stanley Dance, who said "oh shit". Paul kept saying "I'm sorry" and Duke invited him up to the stage for a version of "Happy Reunion". DAMN!