by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)
It’s Music Monday again! This week’s playlist features the 50-year career of one artist. No covers or tributes, just Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington.
He was a giant of 20th century music. He was arguably the most significant band leader in American music from 1923 until his death a half century later.
From the Cotton Club to Europe, Asia, and Africa, he featured artists like saxophonist Johnny Hodges and his 30-year collaborator, composer-arranger-pianist Billy Strayhorn, and lead the best-known orchestral unit in the history of jazz.
Though Ellington himself embraced the phrase “beyond category,: here’s nearly 6 hours of the music by one the greatest of all time. Enjoy!
And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.
I’m grateful for GBN putting out great oldies and goodies FREE. I was embarrassed to see ‘LIFETIME’ making lots of money off black artists lifetime work.
Stopping the blaxploitation!