[Dixielandjazz] Duke Ellington's 115th birthday 4-29-- Doug Ramsey's blog

[Norman Vickers]

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list:  DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Yesterday was Duke Ellington's 115th birthday.  Doug Ramsey's Rifftides blog
on Arts Journal website has story and video including Ellington's 70th
birthday party at the White House.

 

Personal note:  Milt Hinton was a participant at the event.  He included
some photos of that in his book, Bass Line.  We had Milt  down to perform
for a Pensacola JazzFest  late 1980s and his photos were on exhibit at the
Pensacola Museum of Art.  He talked about his involvement in that event.
>From Terry Teachout's biography of Ellington,  I learned that it was Willis
Conover's idea and President Nixon let him work out the details.( It was
reported that Pres and Mrs. Nixon retired early before the musical portion
got going well.)   Also, reason for inviting the diverse group of musicians,
Ellington's band was booked that night in another city, so they were not
available.  Hinton, himself, had briefly been a member of the Ellington
band.  ( Also covered in Hinton's book)

 

Here is direct link to Ramsey's Rifftides blog.  It includes a couple of
videos.  Recommended!

 

http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2014/04/duke-ellingtons-birthday.html

 

 
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