Summary
His name was Edward Kennedy Ellington, but people just called him “Duke.” Born in 1899, he was the forerunner in the evolution of jazz. By the time Duke was nineteen he was playing at parties, pool halls, and cabarets, and then in 1927 he entertained at the hottest place around, The Cotton Club in Harlem. But the defining moment of his career came when Duke and his orchestra gave a ground breaking performance at Carnegie Hall, where they first performed his suite “Black, Brown, and Beige,” a tribute to the history of African-American people. Beloved by jazz fans old and new, Duke Ellington, the “King of the Keys,” is a legend that continues to live on and influence musicians everywhere.

Hyperion Books for Children

Notable Words, Phrases, & Quotes

Listed below are some words and phrases that you may want to discuss with your students before you begin to read the story.

ragtime music
"press on the pearlies"
improvise
"cuttin' the rug"
maestro

• Read the transcript of an interview with Andrea Davis Pinkney that was conducted by students!

• GPB Education has a video available for the book along with a teacher's guide.  Click here, enter the school's login and password, and search for Duke Ellington.