BLACK MUSIC MONTH/AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH. In 1925 Irving Mills (1894-1985) became manager for Duke Ellington’s New York City jazz dance band. Mills saw to it that Ellington and his band were paid well and that Ellington had free time to write his innovative music. Mills’ hefty fee was 50% of the band’s net but Duke figured Mills taking half of a lot was better than Duke taking most of a little. Ellington figured right. The very next year, in 1926, Mills negotiated Ellington’s band to perform at New York’s Cotton Club. They would remain at the Cotton Club for the next 5 years and in that time become the most famous jazz orchestra in the country. The Cotton Club’s twice-a-night performances as well as a rigorous touring schedule helped Duke to compose prolifically. Ellington was able to perform a new composition in front of a live audience on the same night it was written - and tweak it as needed to popular perfection. Ellington co-authored many songs with other band members (i.e. Bub Miley) – and for this jazz standard, “It Dont Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing), with manager Irving Mills who wrote the lyrics. Composed in Chicago in August 1931 the song was first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra for Brunswick Records in February 1932. Its title anticipated what would be called the Swing (or Big Band) era of the next dozen or so years. Here it is performed by Duke Ellington and his orchestra in 1943. (2:45 minutes). Source: W.B. Scott and P. M. Rutkoff, New York Modern: The Arts and The City, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore & London, 1999.
Posted on: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 01:20:53 +0000
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