Born in 1899, Edward Kennedy Ellington created thousands of musical works, led his famous orchestra for an unmatched stretch of fifty years, and earned his nickname, Duke, by setting the standard for sophistication and elegance. Always a modernist, he made countless contributions to the jazz art form, and his music continues to be rediscovered and re-interpreted by every new generation of artists. Today, more than 20 years after Ellington's death in 1974, musicians and scholars are still uncovering new riches in the trove of materials that he and Billy Strayhorn, his musical partner, left behind.
Duke Ellington was, to use a phrase he coined, beyond category.
OUR SOCIETY
Founded in 1959 as the Duke Ellington Jazz Society, and one of the first of many Ellington societies worldwide, TDES, Inc. devotes itself to promoting the appreciation of Ellington in every way--through its meetings at Saint Peter's Church (at Citicorp Center, 54th St. and Lexington Ave.), frequent concerts, and a monthly newsletter. We've even got a discussion group on the Internet (duke-lym@concordia.ca). Ellington himself often attended our meetings and played in concerts that the society produced.
Now several hundred people strong, society members are of every age,
background, and nationality. We get together one evening a month, from
September to June, in a relaxed, congenial atmosphere to explore, discuss,
and listen to the Duke's great music.
TDES, Inc. was incorporated in 1992 in New York as a tax-exempt,
non-profit organization.
OUR MEETINGS
At most meetings, we have an invited guest, who may be a musician (we've hosted virtually every living member of the Ellington orchestra), record producer, jazz historian, writer, musicologist, or record collector. We're always looking for new guests who've been involved in the vibrant world of Ellington. Recent speakers have included trumpeter Clark Terry, singer Al Hibbler, producer George Avakian--and even Rogers Simon, who travelled extensively with Ellington as his personal hairdresser.
OUR FAVORITES
Two meetings each year are devoted to giving members an opportunity to share their favorite Ellington recordings with everyone else. There's always a theme to these Members' Choice evenings: Recent subjects have included records that feature Johnny Hodges, music that evokes a foreign place, compositions with "blue" in their title or tonality, and interpretations of Ellington's music by other musicians and bands.
OUR CONCERTS
Records aren't enough, though, by any means. So every few months, TDES, Inc. puts on a concert, for its members and the public, that features top jazz musicians playing and improvising on Ellington's music. In recent years, we have presented such outstanding performers as Tommy Flanagan, Frank Wess, Joe Temperley, Howard Alden, and legendary bassist Milt Hinton. And to celebrate Duke's April 29th birthday anniversary each year, we sponsor a big-band concert. Since many of these concerts have drawn kudos from The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Village Voice, they often sell out. But by joining the society, you can be assured of acquiring great seats for yourself and your friends.
OUR NEWSLETTER
Society meetings are always open to the public, but becoming a member means you will also receive our monthly newsletter--itself regarded as a collectible by many people--and get to read first-run articles and record reviews, learn more about the Maestro's legacy, and keep up with jazz events throughout the New York City region.
OUR ARCHIVES
Since its inception, the society has accumulated a rich historical record of jazz, America's classical art form, by recording each of our guest speakers on audio tape. These tapes and other historical materials, both printed and musical, form the The Duke Ellington Society Archives at The Schomburg Center, a branch of The New York Public Library (135th St. and Lenox Ave). The archives are open to anyone who is interested in furthering their understanding of Ellingtonia and jazz history.
OUR CONFERENCE
Every year, there is an international conference devoted to Ellington, exploring the social, historical, intellectual, and musical aspects of his story. It was TDES, Inc.'s pleasure to host these conferences in 1986 and 1993.
The conferences draw hundreds of jazz enthusiasts, musicians, scholars,
and members of the Ellington and Strayhorn families--indeed, the entire
Ellington community, from all over the world. During the day, there is a
host of presentations, including thought-provoking research papers, films,
rare recordings, and exhibits. There's also an opportunity to buy all sorts
of jazz books, records, and memorabilia. And each night, there is an
exciting concert that features either a small group or a big band made up
of top-flight musicians.
OUR WORK
TDES, Inc. has led the way in commissioning new works in tribute to the Duke and restoring his long-lost compositions. We are also supporting the efforts of specialists who are transcribing Ellington's recordings so that today and tomorrow, musicians can learn and scholars can study his masterful arrangements and orchestrations. New commissions and world premieres have included:
- Suite for the Duke (1983), by Aaron Bell
- Music is My Mistress (1984), by Mercer K. Ellington
- Black, Brown, and Beige: A tone Parallel to the History of the American Negro (1943/1983)
- New World A-Comin'
The audience at TDES' 1995 big band concert enjoyed the premiere
performance of a new transcription of Ellington's Sepia
Panorama (1940). Prepared by Gunther Schuller, the transcription has
been scored and published for use by professional and student bands by the
Smithsonian Institution's Division of Cultural History as part of its Jazz
Masterworks Editions.
Most recently, the society commissioned musicologist Walter van de Leur
to reconstruct from Ellington's original manuscript notes much of the score
for the 1966 movie Assault on a Queen. Ellington was
commissioned to write the music by Frank Sinatra, who directed and starred
in the film. The reconstructed score was given its first performance
at TDES' 1996 big band birthday concert, at Columbia University.