On the Road with Duke Ellington 

When Strayhorn died, Duke didn't get out of bed for two weeks, he was *that* affected by his death. When he DID, he called his sidemen together and said, "We're going to record an album of Billy's music". That became "And His Mother Called Him Bill". It deservedly won a Grammy.....and Ellington was satisfied he had paid the proper tribute to his musical collaborator and close friend.

To see Louis Armstrong in awe and admiration was moving.

He brought sophistication, high culture and added immeasurably not only to the American story but the world.

History won’t forget you, and I did my part Duke, I helped keep your memory alive, and for that I am grateful and humbled. RIP and I’m sure one day I’ll here you play again.

Today was Duke's birthday . He would have been 120 yo. Thank you, Duke.

Duke Ellington was THE national treasure. RIP Duke and Mercer.

Amazing how audiences then would lament the fact that Duke spent his time touring the world playing his "old" hits and standards, when we now know today that survival in the music business equals touring, and that having such a large body of work is what you call a "catalog" of music; when you have a catalog of music with timeless appeal, this is how you support yourself and an entire cottage industry of people working under you for decades - your music crosses generations, class, creed, or color. I can think of few, if any "artists" today under 40, who are popular on the music charts, but have timeless music that they can perform 30 or 40 years later into retirement age on the finest stages in the world.

This may, and should, grow monumentally, as a valuable and indispensable area of performing arts. Nobody has had more presence, smooth rapport with the immediate, than this Duke, a monument of jazz art, USA culture, and, of the best intentions of our human race. I'm one of many who go on each day, in life, in approach to life positively, because the Ellingtons among other greats of art made it so. The interacting Ellington culture in his orchestras is unique, infectious, creative.

Edward Kennedy Ellington, master! Thank you Dmytro for posting!

THE MAESTRO!! THE WORLD OF ELLINGTONIA!!! I love the clip with Pops and the Maestro

What is wrong with "playing the same old songs again and again", as the comment says? Mozart's and Beethoven's pieces are still played again and again. And nobody in his right mind would complain.

I remember this special about Duke Ellington when it was originally broadcast. I think it was part of "The Bell Telephone Hour," a weekly or so documentary series, and it was done in 1967 as indicated on the video. I audio taped it from TV in the early '70s and remember so many lines of it as I watched it now. The "hot water" habit, "playing for people with ears," keeping a band on the road to hear his compositions played the next day... and so much more. It made the 14 year old version of me a fan of Duke. As my study of jazz and 20th century popular music evolved, in my humble opinion, the best 20th Century composers from the U.S., if not the world are Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. And whenever Louis Armstrong was changing and performing jazz on the fly. Of course there is Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Johnny Mercer, George's brother Ira, Hoagy Carmichael... and so many more from the American Songbook of all genres during that century. But there is Duke... a hero to Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Tony Bennett and so, so many more.

It was a miracle, and an honor to be on the same planet with Duke Ellington. I wish we could do it all again. Where have they all gone.

How grateful I am that a documentary (however brief) exists showing Duke going about his near-daily routine of performing, resting, reflecting, and composing while globe-trotting with that wonderfully talent band of his. He was truly one of the twentieth century's great musical minds, lending to American popular music a sophistication, depth, nuance, and verve that it had before been lacking, so making a proper lady out of the rough-hewn girl called Jazz and giving notice to the stodgy and pedantic classicists of Europe that a new cultural current was springing forth from Harlem which was destined to change the world. Imagine if there was a film documenting firsthand the lives of other bona fide geniuses like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, or Chopin!

"If I write it tonight, I want to hear it tomorrow night." Incredible. Thank you for posting this.

Duke was the King!

Watching the interviews with Duke with tears in my eyes. This man was so wholesome and kind-hearted. He is dearly missed but his music lives on.

I saw this one on Hungarian TV when I was around 12 maybe in 1978. I was fascinated and I never thought I would ever have a chance to watch it again. Thanks to RU-vid and to the one who posted it.

What a lovely film; proving there is still more for me to learn.

His voice is so relaxing

The most charismatic and eloquent composer ever to live on this planet earth!!Duke, I loveeeeeee you madly , and foreverrrrrrrr!!!😍😍😍😍😍😍

@9:23 "Why don't you come up there and blow" to Louis Armstrong who was in the audience....WOW! Would have been so AMAZING! To which Louis responds, "there are very few who I would buy a ticket for..." Amazing piece of Jazz history. Thanks for sharing!

This is what genius looks like, what genius sounds like, what genius is.

Very beautiful look at a very beautiful man, thank you, a critically important piece of music and history.

Satin Doll is one of my favorite tunes to try and practice on my keyboard. I've always said that Duke was a compositional genius. He did things that I dream of doing.

Damn...so powerful..what a king!

I love you, Duke Ellington. Thank you for sharing your life; the sounds of music you heard in voice and ears. 🌟❤️💐💐💐💐💐

The Maestro at work - Bravo! Bravissimo!

great to see pops backstage. man, even a school song sounds like Duke injected Jazz into an old school mentality musically, it's got some rah, rah, rah, and brilliant music blended into it.

Duke was one of the most flamboyant bandleaders of Jazz music ever. Love this Cat !!!

wow! armstrong and ellington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man, mind blown!

Mr .Ellington.does so many. Things great. And they all end up being .COOL may GOD bless you always.

it would be absurd to imagine reliving every part of any person's life. This a small part of a fraction of some of the Duke's long, complex career. And, I'm deeply grateful. Mesmerised.

Amazingly I am watching this and just realized that earlier today out of the blue I started singing "Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me". I guess the Duke stayed in my brain after that and it's the first song on the doc! Wow.

Man when people had some kind of standards.....Great video

Thank you for this: a glimpse at a great jazzman's life.

The true Genus of the man himself, the real boss / Edward Kennedy Ellington (The Duke) / April 29, 1899 - May 24, 1974 (aged 75) Washington, D.C., U.S.

Genius Class Cool personified!!!!

One of the pioneers of the "song catalogue", I remember the first time I heard Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies played live as a child, attending the tribute musical to his body of work with my dad, I fell in love with jazz then and there.

I'm reading Cohen's Duke Ellington's America, this docu is the perfect accompaniment to it.

My grandfather played with Duke Ellington.The Duke gave him a shining toilet plunger for his trombone.

It sad to see the great smoking he might of live longer what a great man

This is fascinating, informative, touching, uplifting and beautiful.

Louis is giving Duke a pep-talk!! Like he needed it...At 10:20 "you're doing alright!" And Duke feels great! what giants in music and friendship they were!

It was hearing Billie Holiday's recording of "Solitude" as a child that actually turned me onto the music of Duke Ellington. Up to that point I had only associated his name with "A Train"

He is sooooo heavy!

I have the full length version of this, on VHS recorded from a PBS broadcast in the late 90's, gearing up for Ellington's 100th Birthday.I'm not what else is missing from this upload, but I do remember a segment on Ellington's long time preference for riding along with Baritone saxophonist Harry Carney in the latter's personal vehicle when logistics allowed.

Such a genius. 🎹🎹 And what a treat to have Pops(another genius) there together with Duke. All that greatness in one spot.❤️❤️💜💜

Ah! The Great Duke Ellington 👏👏👏Wish my Dad was around to see this documentary of his favourite musician... He would have been so over joyed😍💖🎶🎵🎼

Thank you very much for the share...his solo piano pieces are amazingly beautiful... Footage is incredible..I've just watched this for the first time and i will watch it again right on..

Thank you for posting this Greatness.

This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Thanks for this upload.

It’s a pleasure to read so many comments by people who have been as inspired by Ellington as I have been.

50:32 Lawrence Brown playing "Do nothin' till you hear from me" live. One of the many highlights in this excellent movie.

Fascinating

Amazing to see one of the best on and off the stage! One of my biggest heroes!

Beautiful!

GOD IS SO WISE YOU KNOW .........

Simply, The Greatest. Duke has informed so many lives. God bless.

Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

THE GRAND DUKE!

American legend

Class never goes out of style Mozart and Beethoven would have been playing their greatest hit also if they were here today. The Narrator script act as if Mr. Duke Ellington has something to be ashamed of. He continued to create new music regardless. Sleep in peace Sir Duke

Billy Strayhorn wrote "Satin Doll", "Take the "A" Train" and many other "Ellington" songs that he did not get full credit or royalties from in his lifetime. A good biography on Duke Ellington is Terry Teachout's "Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington" - very thorough.

Same old tunes are Classics. The sound track of 1900s and even early 2000s

Also : A Great Piano Virtuoso, besides Prolific Quality Composer, Arranger, Bandleader, Personality, Years at the Top of the Business... Just listen to Him FLY FAST & GROOVE MELLOW (without looking at the Keyboard) on "Take the A Train" (with just a 3 piece Band) at the end of this Video... (showcasing his ample-usual variety of non-repetitive musical adornments)... The Duke has been called-accepted as "The Biggest Figure in Jazz History".

Originally presented on "THE BELL TELEPHONE HOUR" on October 13, 1967.

I love the average American white ladies that made a fuss over him. He was hugely popular despite(?) the depth and sophistication of what he presented.

Something to ponder that the Yale thing means not to be alone. Who was going who prestige and sophistication.

Oh My GOD...I Worship this Grreat Man...This Jazz Genius. What a Treasure this Documentary is...I’m Crying Writing this...OMG!! I LOVE YOU DUKE ELLINGTON...I LOVE YOU!! GOD BLESS YOU~GOD KEEP YOU SAFE...I LOVE YOU DUKE ELLINGTON...I DO ;] Thank you Sir. Thank you!!

I saw the playwright August Wilson on the street once. He was headed to his usual writing spot, a coffee shop.

Thank you Dmytro.

Thanks so much for posting this! His doctorate from Yale was only one of 17 or some crazy number.

Thank you.

IN 1969 I COOKED A HOMEMADE CHILI, AND MY WIFE BABY SON & I BROUGHT IT TO BEN WEBSTER'S APARTMENT IN AMSTERDAM HOLLAND.........AT SOME POINT THAT NIGHT I PLAYED A CADENZA ON A NEW RECORDING THAT I RECENTLY CUT (THE TUNE WAS SIDNEY BECHET'S "LA PETIT FLEUR") BEN APPARENTLY LIKED IT SO MUCH, THAT HE REPLACED THE NEEDLE ABOUT 100 TIMES.....THEREAFTER, BEN ASKED ME IF I'D LIKE TO PLAY WITH DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS BAND....WHEN I ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY, BEN WENT TO HIS PHONE AND CALLED DUKE AT HIS HOME IN NEW YORK........SADLY, FOR ME, DUKE WAS NOT HOME.........AND THAT'S AS FAR AS IT WENT FOR ME! I'D BE LYING IF I SAID THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT LEAST 500 TIMES IN THE LAST 50+ YEARS!😭

Bravo!

THIS IS OFF THE CHAIN

LuvDuke !!

Johnny and Duke.... does life GET any better than this?

una joya semejante!!!!

April 29, 2024 - the 125th anniversary of the birth of Duke Ellington.

pure magic and i love it

It's most probably a blessing to have career songs.

People like this should get a an appreciation stipend each month based on years they've been performing like say $5000/month. That's a token but better than nothing. That would be RETIREMENT $😍

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤AN INSPIRATION!!! 💋💋💋🎵

If a movie is ever made of his life, Terrance Howard should play Duke and Kevin Hart should play billy Strayhorn.

Потрясающе! Дюк - олицетворение благородства и одухотворенности!

The 2nd time he had the horns in the recording session go after his bum-bah-dee-dum and he says “aw, fuck it,” Lol that man wanted his song how he wanted it...just like he wanted his hot water!

Terance Howard As Duke Ellington. Pass It On.

The greatest.

living on the frontline

baked potato and steak for breakfast Wooooaaa!

My father was born in 1923, men were on another level back in the day 💯 Men today (2021) don’t know if they pee standing up or sitting down 😂

💜💜💜💜💜

❤❤

53:56 Best Version of Take the A Train. Duke was 68 years old. Want to play like that when I'll be that age !

23:30 Rondolet - Ellington one of a kind

An icon in the American canon.

wow

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️