Edward “Duke” Ellington
...pianists while in Washington but, his mom also went on vacation in Philadelphia or Atlantic City. When he went on vacation in Asbury Park he heard of Harvey Brooks a hot pianists at the time. Around the time his vacation begin to end he seek out Harvey Brooks and he told Duke that he got what it take his career really began. After this Duke was took in by Oliver “Doc” Perry and Louis Brown who taught him how to read music which helped improve his overall piano playing skills. He started to play in clubs and cafes in Washington after this. Within three months of his graduation he dropped out to began his professional music career. By 1917 Duke had form his first group by the name of The Duke Serenaders. After this Duke became independent the first thing he did was move out his parents home and bought his first home which was his own. Then he became the booking agent for his band The Duke Serenaders by doing this his band was able to play throughout Washington and Virginia for society balls and embassy parties which help his group get their name out there. The biggest step that he took is getting married to Edna Thompson on March 11, 1919 and he had his first child by the name of Mercer Kennedy Ellington. In 1923 he moved out of his home town Washington and move to New York. Once he move to New York which his music begin being played on the radio which is popular in NY which made him a very popular musicians. This led up later in the same year to him making his first recording which was a big hit. He then renamed the groups name to the Washingtonians they established their self during the prohibition era by playing at places like Exclusive Club, Connie’s Inn, the Hollywood Club later named Club Kentucky, Ciro’s, the Plantation Club but the club that was most important to them was the Cotton Club. From the Cotton Club his band was broadcasted across the nation live this made the band music and popularity rapidly spread for thirty years. About five years down the road Edward and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which Mills produced and published Ellington’s music. The move made him even more popular recording companies like Brunswick, and Columbia came calling for records this made Duke’s band the most preferred band United States and even throughout the world. Duke and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo and Los Angeles to London. They played with other great musicians such as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillesp...