Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
Last updated: 03.11.25
According to the Internet source given below, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist and leader of a jazz orchestra, He led his orchestra, which included some of the most prominent instrumentalists of the era, from 1923 until his death. When working as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Café, Ellington wrote his first composition Soda Fountain Rag ((1914) he was himself a ragtime pianist/composer influenced by Turner Layton, Charles L. Roberts, Eubie Blake and many others. This was the first step to becoming one of the most influential jazz band leader and composer of all time.
In 1999 he was posthumously awarded a Special Pulitzer Prize for his lifetime contributions to music and culture.
| Websites: | |||
 |
Duke Ellington | Biography by wikipedia.org. | |
|
DAHR: Duke Ellington | List of 590 historic recordings from 1924 to 1968. |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
 |
Birmingham Breakdown (1941) | D. Ellington | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Victor: BS-060366 |
|
Echoes of Harlem (1939) | D. Ellington | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Victor: BS-035563 |
|
Gal From Joe's, The (1939) | D. Ellington | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Victor: BS-033901 |
|
Harlem Speaks (1941) | D. Ellington | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Victor: PBS-061531 |
|
I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good (1941) | D. Ellington | Marilyn Duke | Victor: BS-067732 |
|
I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good (1941) | D. Ellington | Dinah Shore | Victor: BS-067764 |
|
Rockin' in Rhythm (1940) | D. Ellington | Charlie Barnet Orchestra | Victor: BS-051532 |
| as Performer | ||||
 |
I Met My Waterloo (1934) | A. Johnston | D. Ellington | Victor: PBS-79169 |
|
Mississippi (1929) | V.M. Youmans | D. Ellington | Victor: BVE-55845 |
| Performer | CD Title | Supplier |
|---|
| Jazz Music CDs: | |||
 |
Chris Barber | The Very Best of Chris Barber |        |
|
Monty Sunshine | Remembering Monty Sunshine | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
|
Boswell Sisters | Shout Sister Shout | |
|
Boswell Sisters | That's How Rhythm Was Born | |
| Ragtime Music CDs: | |||
|
Mark Birnbaum | Hot Piano! Ragtime Blues Jazz Classical Mark Birnbaum | |
|
Butch Thompson | The Butch Thompson Trio Plays Favorites | |
| Title | Attribution | Instruments | Source | Remarks |
|---|
 |
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (1942) | D. Ellington (music) B. Russell (words) Glen Fray (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer |  |
|
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (1938) | D. Ellington (music) I. Mills (words) H. Nemo (words) J. Redmond (words) M. Bailey (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
It Don't Mean a Thing (1932) | D. Ellington (music) I. Mills (words) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Mood Indigo (1931) | D. Ellington (w&m) I. Mills (coauth.) B. Bigard (coauth.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Sophisticated Lady (1933) | D. Ellington (music) I. Mills (words) Mitchell Parish (words) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
| As performer | |||||
|
Stormy Weather (1933) | H. Arlen (music) T. Koehler (words) D. Ellington (perf.) George Dewey Washington (perf.) E. Waters (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Marahuana (1934) | S. Coslow (music) A. Johnston (words) Carl Brisson (perf.) Victor McLaglen (perf.) Jack Oakie (perf.) Kitty Carlisle (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Honey in the Honeycomb (1940) | V. Duke (music) John Latouche (words) E. Waters (perf.) Eddie Anderson (perf.) Lena Horne (perf.) L. Armstrong (perf.) Rex Ingram (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Was It Rain? (1937) | L. Handman (music) W. Hirsch (words) Frances Langford (perf.) Phil Regan (perf.) Eddie Duchin (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
Lovely One (1934) | A. Johnston (w&m) S. Coslow (coauth.) Carl Brisson (perf.) Victor McLaglen (perf.) Jack Oakie (perf.) Kitty Carlisle (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | Pub. |
|
Ferry-Boat Serenade (1940) | E. Lazzaro (music) H. Adamson (words) E. Cantor (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) E. Waters (perf.) Kay Kyser (perf.) Glen Miller (perf.) Dick Jurgens (perf.) Frankie Masters (perf.) Kate Smith (perf.) Judy Garland (perf.) Deanna Durbin (perf.) T. Dorsey (perf.) B. Goodman (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
|
⇑Sweet Heartache (1937) | S.H. Stept (music) Ned Washington (words) Frances Langford (perf.) Phil Regan (perf.) Carl Hoff (perf.) Eddie Duchin (perf.) D. Ellington (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Sheet Music Singer | |
The peformer is featured on 12 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
| Title | Composer | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
 |
Stormy Weather (1933) | Harry Arlen | Ted Koehler (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) George Dewey Washington (perf.) Ethel Waters (perf.) |
|
|
Marahuana (1934) | Sam Coslow | Arthur Johnston (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Honey in the Honeycomb (1940) | Vernon Duke | John Latouche (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Flamingo (1941) | Ted Grouya | Ed Anderson (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Was It Rain? (1937) | Lou Handman | Walter Hirsch (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
I Met My Waterloo (1934) | Arthur Johnston | Arthur Johnston (co-author)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Ebony Rhapsody (1934) | Arthur Johnston(w&m) | Sam Coslow (co-author)
Carl Brisson (perf.) Kitty Carlisle (perf.) Duke Ellington (perf.) Victor McLaglen (perf.) Jack Oakie (perf.) |
|
|
Lovely One (1934) | Arthur Johnston(w&m) | Sam Coslow (co-author)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Ferry-Boat Serenade (1940) | Eldo Di Lazzaro | Harold Adamson (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
⇑Sweet Heartache (1937) | Sammy H. Stept | Ned Washington (words)
Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
|
Mississippi (1929) | Vincent Millie Youmans | Duke Ellington (perf.) |
|
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 179 works by Duke Ellington (1899-1974).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys:
(w&m)
(w&m)
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Soda Fountain Rag | 1914 | ||
| Bird of Paradise | 1925 | ||
| Jig Walk | 1925 | Jo Trent (words) | |
| Jim Dandy | 1925 | ||
| With You | 1925 | "Jo" Trent1 (words) | |
| Birmingham Breakdown | 1927 | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (perf.) | |
| Black and Tan Fantasy | 1927 | Bubber Miley (words) | |
| Black Cat Blues | 1927 | ||
| Blues I Love to Sing | 1927 | Bub Miley (co-author) | |
| Creeper, The | 1927 | ||
| Down in Our Alley Blues | 1927 | Otto Hardwick (co-author) |  |
| ⇑ East St. Louis Toodle 'O | 1927 | Bubber Miley (words) | |
| Hop Head | 1927 | ||
| Immigration Blues | 1927 | |
|
| Black Beauty, The | 1928 | |
|
| Blue Bubbles | 1928 | ||
| Creole Love Call, The | 1928 | |
|
| Hot and Bothered | 1928 | ||
| Jubilee Stomp | 1928 | ||
| Mooch, The | 1928 | ||
| Mooche, The | 1928 | Irving Mills (words) | |
| New Orleans Low Down | 1928 | ||
| Swampy River | 1928 | |
|
| ⇑ Awful Sad | 1929 | |
|
| Blues With a Feeling, The | 1929 | ||
| Dicty Glide | 1929 | ||
| Ducky Wucky | 1929 | Barney Bigard (co-author) | |
| Flaming Youth | 1929 | ||
| Goin' to Town | 1929 | Bub Miley (co-author) | |
| Harlem Flat Blues | 1929 | ||
| High Life | 1929 | ||
| Memphis Wail | 1929 | ||
| Mississippi Moan | 1929 | ||
| Misty Mornin' | 1929 | Arthur Whetsol (words) | |
| Move Over | 1929 | ||
| ⇑ Blues of the Vagabond | 1930 |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Breakfast Dance, The | 1930 | ||
| Bumpty Bump | 1930 | |
|
| Cincinnati Daddy | 1930 | ||
| Doin' the Crazy Walk | 1930 | ||
| Jazz Lips | 1930 | ||
| Lazy Duke | 1930 | ||
| Old Man Blues | 1930 | ||
| Mood Indigo | 1931 | Irving Mills (co-author) Barney Bigard (co-author) Boswell Sisters (perf.) Duke Ellington (perf.) Bill Fleck (perf.) Victor Young (perf.) |
|
| Best Wishes | 1932 | ||
| Fast and Furious | 1932 | ||
| It Don't Mean a Thing | 1932 | Irving Mills (words) Boswell Sisters (perf.) |
|
| ⇑ Moon Over Dixie | 1932 | ||
| Mystery Song | 1932 | ||
| Drop Me Off in Harlem | 1933 | ||
| Sophisticated Lady | 1933 | Irving Mills (words) Mitchell Parish (words) |
|
| Blue Feeling | 1934 | ||
| Dallas Doin's | 1934 | ||
| Daybreak Express | 1934 | ||
| Solitude | 1934 | Eddie DeLange (words) Irving Mills (words) Boswell Sisters (perf.) Ina Ray Hutton (perf.) Henry King (perf.) |
|
| Delta Serenade | 1935 | ||
| Harlem Speaks | 1935 | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (perf.) | |
| Hyde Park | 1935 | ||
| In a Sentimental Mood | 1935 | Irving Mills (words) Manny Kurtz (words) |
|
| ⇑ Merry-Go-Round | 1935 | ||
| Echoes of Harlem | 1936 | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (perf.) | |
| In a Jam | 1936 | ||
| Oh Babe, Maybe Someday | 1936 | ||
| Azure | 1937 | |
|
| Black Butterfly | 1937 | ||
| Blue Reverie | 1937 | Harry Carney (co-author) | |
| Caravan | 1937 | Juan Tizol (co-author) Irving Mills (words) |
|
| Demi-Tasse | 1937 | Harry Carney (co-author) | |
| Downtown Uproar | 1937 | Cootie Wiliams (co-author) | |
| Four and One-Half Street | 1937 | Rex Stewart (co-author) | |
| I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter | 1937 | ||
| ⇑ Jazz a La Carte | 1937 | Barney Bigard (co-author) |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Lament For a Lost Love | 1937 | Barney Bigard (co-author) | |
| Scattin' at the Kit Kat | 1937 | Irving Mills (words) | |
| Carnival in Caroline | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Chasin' Chippies | 1938 | Cootie Willams (co-author) | |
| Chatter-Box | 1938 | Rex Stewart (co-author) | |
| Dinah's in a Jam | 1938 | ||
| Drummer's Delight | 1938 | Barney Bigard (words) | |
| Empty Ballroom Blues | 1938 | Cootie Wiliams (co-author) | |
| Gypsy Without a Song | 1938 | Juan Tizol (co-author) | |
| Harmony in Harlem | 1938 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) | |
| I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) John Redmond (words) Mildred Bailey (perf.) |
|
| ⇑ I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| If You Were in My Place | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Jeep Is Jumpin', The | 1938 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) | |
| Jeep's Blues | 1938 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) | |
| La De Doody Doo (w&m) | 1938 | Edward J. Lambert (co-author) Stephen Richards (co-author) |
|
| Lesson in C, A | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Prelude to a Kiss | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Irving Gordon (words) |
|
| Skrontch | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Steppin' Into Swing Society | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Swingtime in Honolulu | 1938 | Irving Mills (words) Henry Nemo (words) |
|
| Battle of Swing | 1939 | ||
| Blue Light | 1939 | ||
| ⇑ Boudoir Benny | 1939 | Cootie Willams (co-author) | |
| Boy Meets Horn | 1939 | Rex Stewart (co-author) | |
| Boys From Harlem | 1939 | ||
| Buffet Flat | 1939 | ||
| Delta Mood | 1939 | ||
| Dooji Wooji | 1939 | ||
| Exposition Swing | 1939 | ||
| Gal From Joe's, The | 1939 | Irving Mills (words) Charlie Barnet Orchestra (perf.) |
|
| Gal-A-Vantin' | 1939 | Cootie Williams (co-author) | |
| Hip Chic | 1939 | ||
| Hodge Podge | 1939 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) | |
| I'm in Another World | 1939 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) | |
| ⇑ I'm Riding on the Moon | 1939 | Johnny Hodges (co-author) |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Jazz Potpourri | 1939 | ||
| Mobile Blues | 1939 | Cootie Williams (co-author) | |
| Old King Dooji | 1939 | ||
| Something to Live For (w&m) | 1939 | Billy Strayhorn (co-author) | |
| All Too Soon | 1940 | Carl Sigman (words) | |
| Day Dream | 1940 | Billy Strayhorn (co-author) John La Touche (words) |
|
| Lady in Blue | 1940 | ||
| Rockin' in Rhythm | 1940 | Irving Mills (words) Harry Carney (words) Charlie Barnet Orchestra (perf.) |
|
| Bli-Blip | 1941 | |
|
| Brown-Skin Gal in the Calico Gown, The | 1941 | Paul Webster (words) | |
| Chocolate Shake | 1941 | |
|
| ⇑ I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good | 1941 | Paul Francis Webster (words) Marilyn Duke (perf.) Dinah Shore (perf.) |
|
| Jump For Joy | 1941 | Paul Webster (words) Sid Kuller (words) |
|
| Don't Get Around Much Anymore | 1942 | Bob Russell (words) Jimmy Dorsey (perf.) Glen Fray (perf.) |
Pub. |
| Five O'Clock Drag | 1942 | ||
| Things Ain't What They Used to Be | 1942 | ||
| Time's A-Wastin' (w&m) | 1942 | Mercer Ellington (co-author) Don George (co-author) |
|
| Baby, Please Stop! and Think About Me | 1943 | Irving Gordon (words) | |
| Blue Belles of Harlem | 1943 | |
|
| Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me | 1943 | Bob Russell (words) | Pub. |
| Ko-Ko | 1943 | ||
| Don't You Know I Care? | 1944 | Mack David (words) | |
| I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues | 1944 | Don George (words) | |
| ⇑ I Didn't Know About You | 1944 | Bob Russell (words) Johnnie Johnston (perf.) Ted Martin (perf.) |
Pub. |
| I'm Beginning to See the Light | 1944 | Johnny Hodges (words) Harry James (words) Don George (words) |
|
| Blue Cellophane | 1945 | ||
| Carnegie Blues | 1945 | ||
| Dancers in Love | 1945 | |
|
| Ev'ry Hour on the Hour | 1945 | Don George (words) | |
| Everything But You | 1945 | Harry James (co-author) | |
| I'm Just a Lucky So-And-So | 1945 | ||
| Just Squeeze Me | 1946 | Lee Gaines (words) | |
| On the Wrong Side of the Railroad Track | 1947 | John Latouche (words) | |
| Take Love Easy | 1947 | John Latouche (words) | |
| Tomorrow Mountain | 1947 | John Latouche (words) | |
| ⇑ When I Walk With You | 1947 | John Latouche (words) |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| He Makes Me Believe He's Mine | 1948 | John Latouche (words) | |
| Air Conditionned Jungle | 1950 | |
|
| Ain't Nothin' Baby Without You | 1953 | Duke Ellington (words) | |
| Hand-Me-Down Love | 1955 | Carl Sigman (words) | |
| In a Mellow Tone (w&m) | 1955 | Milt Gabler (co-author) | |
| Star-Crossed Lovers - Pretty Girl | 1957 | Billy Strayhorn (co-author) Billy Strayhorn (words) |
|
| Paris Blues | 1961 | Billy Strayhorn (words) Harold Flender (words) |
|
| C'est comme ca | 1964 | Marshall Barer (words) | |
| Isfahan | 1964 | Billy Strayhorn (co-author) | |
| Tell Me It's the Truth (w&m) | 1966 | ||
| Baby You're Too Much (w&m) | 1967 | Don George (co-author) | |
| ⇑ Poco Mucho | 1967 | Don George (words) | |
| Wood | 1973 | ||
| You Dirty Dog (w&m) | 1973 | ||
| Drop Me Off in Harlem | ? | Nick Kenny (words) | |
| I'm Checking Out-Goom Bye | ? | Billy Strayhorn (words) | |
| Jungle Nights in Harlem | ? | ||
| Red Hot Band | ? | ||
| Rent Party Blues | ? | Johnny Hodges (words) | |
| Ring Dem Bells (w&m) | ? | Irving Mills (co-author) | |
| Rub-A-Dub-Blues | ? | ||
| Saturday Night Function | ? | Barney Bigard (words) | |
| Shout 'em, Aunt Tillie | ? | Irving Mills (words) | |
| ⇑ Showboat Shuffle | ? | ||
| Stevedore Stomp | ? | Irving Mills (words) | |
| Sweet Mama | ? | ||
| Come Sunday (w&m) | n.d. | ||
| Cottontail | n.d. | J. Hendricks (words) | |
| Heaven (w&m) | n.d. | ||
| It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream | n.d. | Johnny Hodges (co-author) Don George (words) |
|
| Lonely Ones, The (w&m) | n.d. | Don George (co-author) | |
| Soso | n.d. | ||
| Wanna Be Bad | n.d. | John Latouche (words) | |
| Warm Valley | n.d. | Bob Russell (words) | |
| What Am I Here For | n.d. | Jon Hendricks (words) |
| Composer | Title | Performer |
|---|
|
D. Ellington | Air Conditionned Jungle (1:58) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Azure (1:34) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | The Black Beauty (1:58) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Bli-Blip (2:02) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Blue Belles of Harlem (3:40) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Boy Meets Horn (1:23) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Bumpty Bump (2:11) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Chocolate Shake (2:12) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Dancers in Love (2:17) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
⇑D. Ellington | Down in Our Alley Blues (2:40) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Everything But You (1:58) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Swampy River (2:48) | Duke Ellington |
|
D. Ellington | Awful Sad (3:20) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | The Creole Love Call (2:04) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
D. Ellington | Immigration Blues (2:08) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |