Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899 - 1974)

Pianist, Bandleader, Composer

"Duke Ellington's pre-eminence in jazz is not only because of the very high aesthetic standard of his output, not simply due to his remarkable abilities as a pianist, composer and bandleader, but also to the fact that he has extended the boundaries of jazz more than any other musician, without abandoning the true essence of the music." - from G.E. Lambert's book Duke Ellington

Links for Duke Ellington: