Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney (1998) is the story of an amazing musician. We meet him as young Edward Kennedy Ellington who told everyone to call him Duke. “Duke’s name fit him rightly. He was a smooth-talkin’, slick-steppin’, piano-playin’ kid.” Duke was bored with traditional piano practice. But when he heard ragtime, his focus turned seriously back to the piano. Ellington soon composed his own melodies and by age 19 entertaining audiences in a variety of settings. He formed his own band, the Washingtonians. In 1927 the group got a gig at the Cotton Club in Harlem. The band grew and became Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. Each band member contributed to the bands' growing popularity. In 1939, Duke hired Billy Strayhorn, and they worked as a team. This book has a brief summary and a list of sources at the back of the book. Brain Pinkney’s illustrations have a rich, colorful palette. Not my favorite, but effective just the same.
