Film Overview

For the first time, the full panorama of the life and artistic accomplishments of that musical giant, Duke Ellington, has been brought to the television screen.

‘A DUKE NAMED ELLINGTON’ is a unique study of Ellington’s life and works, capturing the genius and charisma of a cultural phenomenon that transcended time, space and musical form.

‘A DUKE NAMED ELLINGTON’, an extraordinary two-hour program, is a blending of previously undiscovered archival performance footage with recollections of Ellington and his work, spanning half a century, on the American and European continents.

PART ONE: Includes the Ellington early years, from the gilded 20's through the Great Depression of the 30's, when his emergence as a dynamic musical force inspired and uplifted an entire generation. Performances ranging from the rare to the classic, from "Timon of Athens" and "Ad Lib on Nippon" to "Rockin' in Rhythm" and "The Opener", are interlaced with the anecdotes and early recollections of vocalists Adelaide Hall and Herb Jeffries, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, bassist-composer Charlie Mingus and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, providing the audience with intimate, first-hand insights into the Ellington experience. Outstanding artists who knew him as a peer, from pianist Willie “The Lion” Smith to pianist Teddy Wilson, recall Ellington's unique approach to his creative artistry, his tireless search for new musical sounds and forms, his foibles, his passions, and his spirituality.

PART TWO: The Ellington renaissance of the 1950's, ignited by the spectacular Ellington triumph at the Newport Jazz Festival, his irrepressible experimentation, his development of extended works, including suites, religious music and ballet scores, his strong influence on yet another generation, are all recounted by music critic Leonard Feather and artists such as pianist-composer Herbie Hancock, Sweden's foremost vocalist Alice Babs, and legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey. Also captured for this production are the remembrances of outstanding musical artists and others who reflect on how their lives and their professional experiences have been deeply influenced by the Ellington phenomenon, including drummer Louis Bellson, trumpeter Clark Terry, and more. Musical selections include Ellington orchestral performance excerpts from "Black, Brown and Beige", "The Sacred Concerts", "The Far East Suite" and climactic dance sequences, choreographed by Alvin Ailey, from "Night Creature" and "The River".

One unique feature of ‘A DUKE NAMED ELLINGTON’ is the presentation of Ellington abroad, in concert performances across Europe. Highlights include great solo moments by celebrated virtuosi among the Ellington conglomerate, including saxophonists Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Russell Procope, Harry Carney, and Ben Webster, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, trumpeters Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson, and violinist Ray Nance...

Throughout the program, Edward Kennedy Ellington reminisces about some of his earliest professional experiences, reflects on his unique method of music-making, and reveals, through anecdotes, his keen sense of humor, his ambitions, his love for humanity, and his uncommon philosophy.

It becomes evident, in viewing ‘A DUKE NAMED ELLINGTON’, that not only was Ellington a protagonist in the historical development of American music, blazing a path for other musical artists to follow, but that he continues to provide inspiration for composers, arrangers and musical performers, in shaping the future of modern music. The program demonstrates how Ellington contributed to the elevation of jazz from the level of folklore to the realm of music that lives far beyond its time and place.