Duke Ellington

"Most of us know Duke Ellington as the king of swinging jazz. But throughout his 50-year career, he also shattered racial barriers and stereotypes, bridged cultural divides, helped audiences feel their shared humanity, and dared people to imagine, if even for just one evening, a world without categories. Along the way he believed it possible and imperative to elevate jazz and American composers on par with their European counterparts. Like a true pioneer, Duke Ellington took risks to provide music that audiences needed to hear, and in doing so, set lofty expectations for a country that was ill prepared to live up to them during his lifetime."--Publisher.