music.wikisort.org - ComposerMercer Kennedy Ellington[2] (March 11, 1919 – February 8, 1996) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. His father was Duke Ellington, whose band Mercer led for 20 years after his father's death.[3]
Mercer Ellington |
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 Ellington in concert at the University of Rochester, 1975, photo by Tom Marcello. |
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Birth name | Mercer Kennedy Ellington |
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Born | (1919-03-11)March 11, 1919 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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Died | February 8, 1996(1996-02-08) (aged 76)[1] Copenhagen, Denmark |
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Genres | |
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Occupation(s) | |
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Instrument(s) | Trumpet |
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Years active | 1939–1996 |
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Musical artist
Biography
Early life and education
Ellington was born in Washington, D.C., United States.[3] He was the only child of the composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington and his high school sweetheart Edna Thompson (d. 1967). Ellington grew up primarily in Harlem from the age of eight. By the age of eighteen, Ellington had written his first piece to be recorded by his father ("Pigeons and Peppers"). Ellington attended New College for the Education of Teachers at Columbia University, New York University and the Juilliard School.[3]
Career
In 1939, 1959, and 1946 through 1949, Ellington led his own bands, many of whose members later performed with his father, or achieved a successful career in their own right (including Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Idrees Sulieman, Chico Hamilton, Charles Mingus, and Carmen McRae).[3] During the 1940s, in particular, Ellington wrote pieces that became standards, including "Things Ain't What They Used to Be", "Jumpin' Punkins", "Moon Mist", and "Blue Serge".[3] Ellington also wrote the lyrics to Hillis Walters' popular song, "Pass Me By" (1946), which was recorded by Lena Horne, Carmen McRae and Peggy Lee.
Ellington composed for his father from 1940 until 1941, and later worked as road manager for Cootie Williams' orchestra (1941 until 1943 and again in 1954). Ellington returned to work for his father playing alto horn in 1950, and then as general manager and copyist from 1955 until 1959.[3] In 1960, Ellington became Della Reese's musical director, then later went on take a job as a radio DJ in New York for three years beginning in 1962. In 1965, Ellington again returned to his father's orchestra, this time as trumpeter and road manager.[3] When his father died in 1974, Ellington took over the orchestra, traveling on tour to Europe in 1975 and 1977.[3] (His son Edward Ellington played in the band in the late 1970s. His son Paul Mercer Ellington took it over at a later date.) In the early 1980s, Ellington became the first conductor for a Broadway musical of his father's music, Sophisticated Ladies which ran from 1981 until 1983.[3] Mercer's Digital Duke won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. From 1982 until early 1990s, the Duke Ellington Orchestra included Barrie Lee Hall, Rocky White, Tommy James, Gregory Charles Royal, J.J. Wiggins, Onzy Matthews, and Shelly Carrol among others.
Death and legacy
Ellington died of a heart attack on February 8, 1996 at age 76.[4] His daughter Mercedes Ellington is president of the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts.[5] After Ellington died, his son Paul became the executor of both his and the Duke Ellington estate[6][7] and kept the Duke Ellington Orchestra alive.[8] Ellington's eldest grandson, Edward Kennedy Ellington II, is also a musician and maintains a small salaried band known as the Duke Ellington Legacy, which frequently comprises the core of the big band operated by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts.
Personal life
His daughter Mercedes was born in 1939 to Ruth Batts. Ellington was married three times. His first marriage was to Evelyn Walker from 1942 until 1976, with whom he had two children: Gayl Ellington and Edward Ellington II.[9] Ellington's second marriage was to singer and actress Della Reese in April 1961. The marriage was later annulled in June of that year after it was determined Ellington's previous Mexican divorce was invalid.[10] His third marriage was to Lene Margrethe Scheid from 1978 until his death in 1996. Together, Ellington and Scheid had one child, Paul Ellington (b. 1979).[11]
Discography
As leader
- Steppin' into Swing Society (Coral, 1958)
- Colors in Rhythm (Coral, 1959)
- Black and Tan Fantasy (MCA, 1974)
- Continuum (Fantasy, 1975)
- Hot and Bothered (A Re-Creation) (Doctor Jazz, 1985)
- Digital Duke (GRP, 1987)
- Music Is My Mistress (Musicmasters, 1989)
- Take the Holiday Train (Special Music, 1992)
- Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz with Guest Mercer Ellington (Jazz Alliance, 1994)
- Only God Can Make a Tree (Musicmasters, 1996)[12]
As arranger
With Clark Terry
References
- "OBITUARY:Mercer Ellington". The Independent. February 10, 1996. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- "Mercer Ellington On Piano Jazz". Npr.org. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 426/7. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- Watrous, Peter. "Mercer Ellington, 76, Leader of Father's Band". The New York Times. February 10, 1996. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
- Amra Alirejsovic (April 20, 2010). "Legacy of Duke Ellington Remembered". Voanews.com. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- "Duke Ellington Estate Welcome Video". Dukeellington.com.
- "ExploreDance". Exploredance.com.
- "The Duke Ellington Orchestra Booking Agent Info & Pricing | Private & Corporate Events - Booking Entertainment". Booking Entertainment Booking Agency. June 13, 2013.
- "Mercer Ellington, Wife Hit A Sour Note And Separate". Google Books. Johnson Publishing. May 20, 1976. p. 28. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- Notable Black American Women, Book 2. VNR AG. 1996. p. 546. ISBN 9780810391772. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- "Stars Who Make Big Money After Death". Google Books. Johnson Publishing. June 23, 1997. p. 58. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- "Mercer Ellington | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
External links
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Discography |
Studio albums |
- Harlem Jazz, 1930
- Ellingtonia, Vol. One
- Ellingtonia, Vol. Two
- Braggin' in Brass: The Immortal 1938 Year
- The Blanton–Webster Band
- Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band
- Smoke Rings
- Liberian Suite
- Great Times!
- Masterpieces by Ellington
- Ellington Uptown
- The Duke Plays Ellington
- Ellington '55
- Dance to the Duke!
- Ellington Showcase
- Historically Speaking
- Duke Ellington Presents...
- The Complete Porgy and Bess
- A Drum Is a Woman
- Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956
- Such Sweet Thunder
- Studio Sessions 1957 & 1962
- Ellington Indigos
- Black, Brown and Beige
- Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque
- The Cosmic Scene
- Happy Reunion
- Jazz Party
- Back to Back
- Side by Side
- Anatomy of a Murder
- Festival Session
- Blues in Orbit
- The Nutcracker Suite
- Piano in the Background
- Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G.
- Unknown Session
- Piano in the Foreground
- The Great Summit: The Master Takes
- Paris Blues
- Featuring Paul Gonsalves
- Midnight in Paris
- Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
- Studio Sessions, New York 1962
- Money Jungle
- Afro-Bossa
- The Symphonic Ellington
- Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session
- Studio Sessions New York 1963
- My People
- Ellington '65
- Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins
- Ellington '66
- Concert in the Virgin Islands
- The Popular Duke Ellington
- Far East Suite
- The Jaywalker
- Studio Sessions, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, San Francisco, Chicago, New York
- ...And His Mother Called Him Bill
- Second Sacred Concert
- Studio Sessions New York, 1968
- Latin American Suite
- The Pianist
- New Orleans Suite
- Orchestral Works
- The Suites, New York 1968 & 1970
- The Intimacy of the Blues
- The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
- Studio Sessions New York & Chicago, 1965, 1966 & 1971
- The Intimate Ellington
- The Ellington Suites
- This One's for Blanton!
- Up in Duke's Workshop
- Duke's Big 4
- Mood Ellington
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Live albums | |
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Collaborations | |
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Compositions | by Billy Strayhorn |
- "Take the "A" Train"
- "Lush Life"
- "Chelsea Bridge"
- "Something to Live For"
- "Satin Doll"
- "Blood Count"
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by Juan Tizol | |
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Orchestra members |
- Hayes Alvis
- Cat Anderson
- Ivie Anderson
- Harold Ashby
- Alice Babs
- Shorty Baker
- Butch Ballard
- Art Baron
- Aaron Bell
- Louie Bellson
- Joe Benjamin
- Barney Bigard
- Lou Blackburn
- Jimmy Blanton
- Wellman Braud
- Lawrence Brown
- Harry Carney
- Johnny Coles
- Willie Cook
- Buster Cooper
- Kay Davis
- Wild Bill Davis
- Wilbur de Paris
- Bobby Durham
- Mercer Ellington
- Rolf Ericson
- Jimmy Forrest
- Victor Gaskin
- Peter Giger
- Tyree Glenn
- Paul Gonsalves
- Sonny Greer
- Fred Guy
- Jimmy Hamilton
- Otto Hardwick
- Shelton Hemphill
- Rick Henderson
- Al Hibbler
- Johnny Hodges
- Major Holley
- Charlie Irvis
- Quentin Jackson
- Hilton Jefferson
- Herb Jeffries
- Freddie Jenkins
- Money Johnson
- Herbie Jones
- Wallace Jones
- Taft Jordan
- Al Killian
- Queen Esther Marrow
- Wendell Marshall
- Murray McEachern
- Louis Metcalf
- James "Bubber" Miley
- Harold "Geezil" Minerve
- Ray Nance
- Tricky Sam Nanton
- Oscar Pettiford
- Eddie Preston
- Russell Procope
- Junior Raglin
- Betty Roché
- Ernie Royal
- Al Sears
- Joya Sherrill
- Willie Smith
- Elmer Snowden
- Rex Stewart
- Billy Strayhorn
- Billy Taylor
- Clark Terry
- Juan Tizol
- Norris Turney
- Ben Webster
- Arthur Whetsel
- Cootie Williams
- Nelson Williams
- Skippy Williams
- Booty Wood
- Jimmy Woode
- Britt Woodman
- Sam Woodyard
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Authority control  |
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General | |
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National libraries | |
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Scientific databases | |
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На других языках
[de] Mercer Ellington
Mercer Kennedy Ellington (* 11. März 1919 in Washington, D.C.; † 8. Februar 1996 in Kopenhagen) war ein amerikanischer Jazztrompeter, Komponist und Arrangeur. Er ist der Sohn des berühmten Komponisten, Pianisten und Bandleader Duke Ellington.
- [en] Mercer Ellington
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