116-453: Ertegün is a Turkish surname. Notable people with the surname include: Ertegün brothers, Turkish-American executives of Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegün Nesuhi Ertegün Münir Ertegün , Turkish politician and diplomat and father of Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegün [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Ertegün . If an internal link intending to refer to
232-452: A 19-minute all-African-American RKO short in which he played the hero "Duke". He also appeared in the Amos 'n' Andy film Check and Double Check released in 1930, which features the orchestra playing "Old Man Blues" in an extended ballroom scene. That year, Ellington and his Orchestra connected with a whole different audience in a concert with Maurice Chevalier and they also performed at
348-456: A 45% interest in Ellington's future. Mills had an eye for new talent and published compositions by Hoagy Carmichael , Dorothy Fields , and Harold Arlen early in their careers. After recording a handful of acoustic sides during 1924–26, Ellington's signing with Mills allowed him to record prolifically. However, sometimes he recorded different versions of the same tune. Mills regularly took
464-650: A Light , about The Rolling Stones ' concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York at which Ertegun sustained the injury that ultimately ended his life, contains a dedication to Ertegun. Andrea Corr 's solo album Ten Feet High is also dedicated "To the memory of Ahmet Ertegun". In honor of the barriers the Ertegun brothers broke during their time in segregated Washington, the Turkish Ambassador to
580-428: A Song Go Out of My Heart" the following year. Billy Strayhorn , originally hired as a lyricist, began his association with Ellington in 1939. Nicknamed "Sweet Pea" for his mild manner, Strayhorn soon became a vital member of the Ellington organization. Ellington showed great fondness for Strayhorn and never failed to speak glowingly of the man and their collaborative working relationship, "my right arm, my left arm, all
696-411: A Swedish-American actress, fashion model, and set designer, who was the daughter of Carl Enstam and the former wife of Edward Walter Rathbun . She and Ertegun had no children and divorced in about 1956. In 1961 he married Ioana Maria " Mica " Grecianu, the former wife of Stefan Grecianu and a daughter of Gheorghe Banu , a Romanian doctor and statesman. Mica later became a well-known interior designer,
812-486: A big band, that Ellington was the only rival he would leave Wilson for. He was the orchestra's first regular tenor saxophonist and increased the size of the sax section to five for the first time. Much influenced by Johnny Hodges, he often credited Hodges with showing him "how to play my horn". The two men sat next to each other in the orchestra. Trumpeter Ray Nance joined, replacing Cootie Williams who had defected to Benny Goodman . Additionally, Nance added violin to
928-506: A brief revival in November of that year. Its subject matter did not make it appealing to Broadway; Ellington had unfulfilled plans to take it there. Despite this disappointment, a Broadway production of Ellington's Beggar's Holiday , his sole book musical, premiered on December 23, 1946, under the direction of Nicholas Ray . The settlement of the first recording ban of 1942–44 , leading to an increase in royalties paid to musicians, had
1044-650: A co-composer credit. From the beginning of their relationship, Mills arranged recording sessions on nearly every label, including Brunswick , Victor , Columbia , OKeh , Pathé (and its subsidiary, Perfect), the ARC/Plaza group of labels (Oriole, Domino, Jewel, Banner) and their dime-store labels (Cameo, Lincoln, Romeo), Hit of the Week, and Columbia's cheaper labels (Harmony, Diva, Velvet Tone, Clarion), labels that gave Ellington popular recognition. On OKeh, his records were usually issued as The Harlem Footwarmers. In contrast,
1160-482: A co-founder of the decorating firm MAC II. The couple had no children. In the 1960s, Atlantic, often in partnerships with local labels like Stax Records in Memphis , helped to develop the growth of soul music , with artists such as Ben E. King, Solomon Burke , Otis Redding , Sam and Dave , Percy Sledge , Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett . Ertegun helped introduce America to The Rascals when he discovered
1276-505: A collection of over 15,000 jazz and blues 78s , and became acquainted with musicians such as Ellington, Lena Horne and Jelly Roll Morton . Ahmet and Nesuhi staged concerts by Lester Young , Sidney Bechet and other jazz giants. They also traveled to New Orleans and to Harlem to listen to music and develop a keen awareness of developing musical tastes. Ertegun graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis in 1944. In November of
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#17327878158371392-502: A cross-talk feature with Anderson. Radio exposure helped maintain Ellington's public profile as his orchestra began to tour. The other 78s of this era include: " Mood Indigo " (1930), " Sophisticated Lady " (1933), " Solitude " (1934), and " In a Sentimental Mood " (1935). While Ellington's United States audience remained mainly African-American in this period, the orchestra had a significant following overseas. They traveled to England and Scotland in 1933, as well as France (three concerts at
1508-641: A few months, the young musicians returned to Washington, D.C., feeling discouraged. In June 1923, they played a gig in Atlantic City, New Jersey and another at the prestigious Exclusive Club in Harlem. This was followed in September 1923 by a move to the Hollywood Club (at 49th and Broadway) and a four-year engagement, which gave Ellington a solid artistic base. He was known to play the bugle at
1624-604: A few years at the beginning of Strayhorn's involvement, Ellington's orchestra featured bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and reached a creative peak. Some years later following a low-profile period, an appearance by Ellington and his orchestra at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1956 led to a major revival and regular world tours. Ellington recorded for most American record companies of his era, performed in and scored several films, and composed
1740-475: A gig of Fate Marable in St Louis. The short-lived Blanton transformed the use of double bass in jazz, allowing it to function as a solo/melodic instrument rather than a rhythm instrument alone. Terminal illness forced him to leave by late 1941 after around two years. Ben Webster's principal tenure with Ellington spanned 1939 to 1943. An ambition of his, he told his previous employer, Teddy Wilson , then leading
1856-410: A group of ten players; they developed their own sound via the non-traditional expression of Ellington's arrangements, the street rhythms of Harlem, and the exotic-sounding trombone growls and wah-wahs, high-squealing trumpets, and saxophone blues licks of the band members. For a short time, soprano saxophonist and clarinetist Sidney Bechet played with them, reportedly becoming the dominant personality in
1972-413: A handful of stage musicals. Although a pivotal figure in the history of jazz , in the opinion of Gunther Schuller and Barry Kernfeld , "the most significant composer of the genre", Ellington himself embraced the phrase "beyond category", considering it a liberating principle, and referring to his music as part of the more general category of American Music. Ellington was known for his inventive use of
2088-438: A jazz sensibility (and many jazz artists) into R&B, successfully combining blues and jazz styles from around the country. Atlantic helped challenge the primacy of the major labels of the time by discovering, developing, and nurturing new talent. It became the premier rhythm and blues label in a few years and, with the help of innovative engineer/producer Tom Dowd , set new standards in producing high-quality recordings. Atlantic
2204-632: A lengthy battle by Ruth Brown and other Atlantic artists to obtain unpaid past royalties from the company; other record companies later also contributed. Among early recipients of payments were John Lee Hooker , Bo Diddley , Johnny "Guitar" Watson , Ruth Brown and the Staple Singers . In 1988, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . Ertegun received an honorary doctorate in music from
2320-523: A new independent record label for gospel , jazz , and R&B music . Financed by family dentist Dr. Vahdi Sabit, they formed Atlantic Records in September 1947 in New York City. The first recording sessions took place that November. In 1949, after 22 unsuccessful record releases, including the first recordings by Professor Longhair , Atlantic had its first major hit with Stick McGhee 's " Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee ". The company expanded through
2436-402: A new recording contract with Columbia Records which yielded several years of recording stability, mainly under producer Irving Townsend , who coaxed both commercial and artistic productions from Ellington. In 1957, CBS (Columbia Records' parent corporation) aired a live television production of A Drum Is a Woman , an allegorical suite which received mixed reviews. Festival appearances at
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#17327878158372552-461: A record company to distribute their independent Rolling Stones Records label. Ertegun personally conducted the negotiations with Mick Jagger , successfully completing the deal between the Stones and Atlantic, when other labels had actually offered the band more money. He took a personal interest in the progressive rock band Yes , and took a strong stand with bassist Chris Squire on the direction of
2668-584: A regular pattern, Ellington's longer works were generally not well received. A partial exception was Jump for Joy , a full-length musical based on themes of African-American identity, which debuted on July 10, 1941, at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles. Hollywood actors John Garfield and Mickey Rooney invested in the production, and Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles offered to direct. At one performance, Garfield insisted that Herb Jeffries, who
2784-427: A roadhouse combo. Film historians have recognized the score "as a landmark—the first significant Hollywood film music by African Americans comprising non-diegetic music, that is, music whose source is not visible or implied by action in the film, like an on-screen band." The score avoided the cultural stereotypes which previously characterized jazz scores and rejected a strict adherence to visuals in ways that presaged
2900-404: A severe effect on the financial viability of the big bands, including Ellington's Orchestra. His income as a songwriter ultimately subsidized it. Although he always spent lavishly and drew a respectable income from the orchestra's operations, the band's income often just covered expenses. However, in 1943 Ellington asked Webster to leave; the saxophonist's personality made his colleagues anxious and
3016-593: A short film, featured his extended piece 'A Rhapsody of Negro Life'. It introduced Billie Holiday , and won the Academy Award for Best Musical Short Subject. Ellington and his Orchestra also appeared in the features Murder at the Vanities and Belle of the Nineties (both 1934). For agent Mills, the attention was a publicity triumph, as Ellington was now internationally known. On the band's tour through
3132-604: A short-lived 1933–34 switch to Victor when Irving Mills temporarily moved his acts from Brunswick). As the Depression worsened, the recording industry was in crisis, dropping over 90% of its artists by 1933. Ivie Anderson was hired as the Ellington Orchestra's featured vocalist in 1931. She is the vocalist on " It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) " (1932) among other recordings. Sonny Greer had been providing occasional vocals and continued to do in
3248-595: A specific instrumentalist, such as "Jeep's Blues" for Johnny Hodges , "Yearning for Love" for Lawrence Brown , "Trumpet in Spades" for Rex Stewart , " Echoes of Harlem " for Cootie Williams and "Clarinet Lament" for Barney Bigard . In 1937, Ellington returned to the Cotton Club, which had relocated to the mid-town Theater District . In the summer of that year, his father died, and due to many expenses, Ellington's finances were tight. However, his situation improved in
3364-740: A specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ertegün&oldid=756166866 " Categories : Surnames Turkish-language surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All set index articles Ahmet Erteg%C3%BCn Ahmet Ertegun ( / ˈ ɑː m ɛ t ˈ ɛər t ə ɡ ən / AH -met AIR -tə-gən ; Turkish: Ahmet Zahrettin Sebuhi Ertegün , pronounced [ahˈmet eɾteˈɟyn] ; July 31, 1923 – December 14, 2006)
3480-579: A thousand brass and make a dramatic gesture and every studio arranger can nod his head and say, Oh, yes, that's done like this. But Duke merely lifts his finger, three horns make a sound, and I don't know what it is!" However, by 1955, after three years of recording for Capitol , Ellington lacked a regular recording affiliation. Ellington's appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 7, 1956, returned him to wider prominence. The feature " Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue " comprised two tunes that had been in
3596-801: A worldwide sensation and gave both Ellington and Hall their first hit record. Miley had composed most of " Creole Love Call " and " Black and Tan Fantasy ". An alcoholic, Miley had to leave the band before they gained wider fame. He died in 1932 at the age of 29, but he was an important influence on Cootie Williams , who replaced him. In 1929, the Cotton Club Orchestra appeared on stage for several months in Florenz Ziegfeld 's Show Girl, along with vaudeville stars Jimmy Durante , Eddie Foy, Jr. , Ruby Keeler , and with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Gus Kahn . Will Vodery , Ziegfeld's musical supervisor, recommended Ellington for
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3712-525: A youth phenomenon, particularly with white college audiences, and danceability drove record sales and bookings. Jukeboxes proliferated nationwide, spreading the gospel of swing. Ellington's band could certainly swing, but their strengths were mood, nuance, and richness of composition, hence his statement "jazz is music, the swing is business". From 1936, Ellington began to make recordings with smaller groups (sextets, octets, and nonets) drawn from his then-15-man orchestra. He composed pieces intended to feature
3828-513: Is the largest recorded personal jazz legacy, and many of his pieces have become standards . He also recorded songs written by his bandsmen, such as Juan Tizol 's " Caravan ", which brought a Spanish tinge to big band jazz. At the end of the 1930s, Ellington began a nearly thirty-year collaboration with composer-arranger-pianist Billy Strayhorn , whom he called his writing and arranging companion. With Strayhorn, he composed multiple extended compositions, or suites, as well as many short pieces. For
3944-585: The 90125 album. He encouraged Squire and the group to make sure the album produced a hit single, which it did with " Owner of a Lonely Heart ". In 1987 Ertegun was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , of which he himself was a founder. In the late 1980s, with the support of Bonnie Raitt and others, he provided $ 1.5 million to help establish the Rhythm and Blues Foundation to award money to underpaid blues artists. The Foundation's establishment arose from
4060-589: The Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1991, and was awarded the Grammy Trustees Award for his lifetime achievements in 1993. At the tenth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in 1995, it was announced that the museum's main exhibition hall would be named after him. The United States Library of Congress honored Ertegun as a Living Legend in 2000. With brother Nesuhi, he
4176-474: The Roseland Ballroom , "America's foremost ballroom". Australian-born composer Percy Grainger was an early admirer and supporter. He wrote, "The three greatest composers who ever lived are Bach , Delius and Duke Ellington. Unfortunately, Bach is dead, Delius is very ill but we are happy to have with us today The Duke". Ellington's first period at the Cotton Club concluded in 1931. Ellington led
4292-726: The Salle Pleyel in Paris) and the Netherlands before returning to New York. On June 12, 1933, the Duke Ellington Orchestra gave its British debut at the London Palladium ; Ellington received an ovation when he walked on stage. They were one of 13 acts on the bill and were restricted to eight short numbers; the booking lasted until June 24. The British visit saw Ellington win praise from members of
4408-762: The biopic of Ray Charles , he is portrayed by Curtis Armstrong . In Beyond the Sea , the biopic about Bobby Darin , he is played by Tayfun Bademsoy . Musician Serj Tankian (from System of a Down ) has claimed that Ertegun was against recognising the Armenian Genocide in line with the official policy of Turkey, Ertegun's home country. In December 2006 (shortly after Ertegun's death), Harut Sassounian , an Armenian-American writer and contributor for The Huffington Post , published an op-ed in which he claims that he had talked personally with Ertegun some time before his death, and that Ertegun did acknowledge
4524-644: The devastating earthquake near Istanbul in 1999, Ertegun was instrumental in the success of the Society's Earthquake Relief Fund, which raised over $ 4 million for Turkey's rebuilding efforts, particularly in education. In addition to his endeavors at The American Turkish Society, Ertegun funded the Turkish studies departments at Princeton and Georgetown universities. In 2008, the Ahmet Ertegun Memorial Scholarship, established by
4640-442: The diatonic scale , with the consequent alteration of the harmonic character of his music, it's broadening, The deepening of his resources. It has become customary to ascribe the classical influences upon Duke— Delius , Debussy , and Ravel —to direct contact with their music. Actually, his serious appreciation of those and other modern composers, came after he met with Vody. Ellington's film work began with Black and Tan (1929),
4756-589: The original North American Soccer League . Ahmet Ertegün's great-grandfather, İbrahim Edhem Efendi, was the last sheikh of the Üsküdar Özbekler Tekkesi . He was the second son of Washington ambassador Münir Ertegün and Hayrünnisa Rüstem. His father, Münir Ertegün, was a statesman who undertook significant duties and services during the National Struggle period. Ertegun was born Ahmet Munir in Istanbul , Turkey, on July 31, 1923. His mother, Hayrünnisa,
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4872-640: The segregated society of the day. When his drummer Sonny Greer was invited to join the Wilber Sweatman Orchestra in New York City, Ellington left his successful career in D.C. and moved to Harlem , ultimately becoming part of the Harlem Renaissance . New dance crazes such as the Charleston emerged in Harlem, as well as African-American musical theater , including Eubie Blake 's and Noble Sissle 's (the latter of whom
4988-559: The 1950s, with Jerry Wexler and, later, Ertegun's brother Nesuhi on board as partners. Hit artists that recorded on Atlantic included Ruth Brown , Big Joe Turner , The Clovers , The Drifters , The Coasters and Ray Charles . Like the Erteguns, many independent record executives were from immigrant backgrounds, including the Bihari and the Chess brothers . The Ertegun brothers brought
5104-568: The American Turkish Society, was officially announced and designated for music students of Turkish descent to study at the Juilliard School . On October 29, 2006, Ertegun tripped, striking his head on a concrete floor during a Rolling Stones concert at the Beacon Theatre . He was immediately taken to hospital. Ertegun fell into a coma and died on December 14, 2006, at Weill Cornell Medical Center . Ertegun
5220-566: The Armenian Genocide, and he even wished to speak publicly about it; according to Sassounian, Ertegun "firmly believed that once Ankara put the issue of the Genocide behind it, the country would attain the respect of the international community and would not waste its efforts and resources to counter Armenian efforts for Genocide recognition". The writer ends his piece by explaining: "I could not write this column while he [Ertegun]
5336-529: The Brunswicks were usually issued as The Jungle Band. Whoopee Makers and the Ten BlackBerries were other pseudonyms. In September 1927, King Oliver turned down a regular booking for his group as the house band at Harlem's Cotton Club ; the offer passed to Ellington after Jimmy McHugh suggested him and Mills arranged an audition. Ellington had to increase from a six to 11-piece group to meet
5452-483: The Genocide, Turkey would earn many political dividends and lose practically nothing!" In 2017, Dorothy Carvello alleged that Ertegun tried to remove her underwear and groped her under her shirt at a public event in 1987. Her book Anything for a Hit tells of her experiences. Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy " Duke " Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist , composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through
5568-888: The Howard" — Howard being the Howard Theatre , an historic performance space located in Washington, DC. Despite his affluent upbringing, Ertegun began to see a different world from his wealthy peers. Ertegun would later say: "I began to discover a little bit about the situation of black people in America and experienced immediate empathy with the victims of such senseless discrimination, because, although Turks were never slaves, they were regarded as enemies within Europe because of their Muslim beliefs." Ertegun and his brother frequented Milt Gabler 's Commodore Music Shop , assembled
5684-554: The Night" by The Clovers, "Ti-Ri-Lee" by Big Joe Turner, and "Story of My Love" by LaVern Baker . All of these were originally recorded for Atlantic Records. He also wrote "Missä Olit Silloin (Dawn in Ankara)" for Finnish singer Irina Milan as Ahmet Ertegun. In 1958, Ertegun replaced Abramson as Atlantic's president and Abramson left the company after selling his financial interest. On 6 January 1953 Ertegun married Jan Holm (née Enstam),
5800-493: The U.S., Namik Tan , hosted a series of jazz concerts at the historical residence on Sheridan Circle in Washington, D.C. The "Ertegun Jazz Series," in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center , reviving the brothers' legacy of bridging cultures and bringing people together with one common objective: celebrating music. In that same spirit, Ambassador Tan opened the doors of his home to residents of D.C. from various backgrounds – Members of Congress, Administration officials, academia,
5916-621: The assembled gathering then saw a special screening of the American Masters documentary Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built . Among those who paid tribute to Ertegun in person were: Solomon Burke , Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller , Keith Emerson , Peter Asher , Spencer Davis , the film's producer (and longtime friend) Phil Carson , Taylor Hackford , and event producer Martin Lewis . The Martin Scorsese film Shine
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#17327878158376032-416: The band's book since 1937. Ellington, who had abruptly ended the band's scheduled set because of the late arrival of four key players, called the two tunes as the time was approaching midnight. Announcing that the two pieces would be separated by an interlude played by tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves , Ellington proceeded to lead the band through the two pieces, with Gonsalves' 27-chorus marathon solo whipping
6148-552: The band's set, and also provided backing vocals on two songs. The concert also included Paolo Nutini , Mick Jones of Foreigner and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings who supported their acts, and additionally shared the stage with them. The show was held to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which pays for university scholarships in the UK, US and Turkey. The show had been scheduled for late November but
6264-650: The club. They transformed the Cosmos into a "dream team". When Atlantic became part of the Kinney conglomerate in 1969, and later part of Time Warner , Atlantic Records continued with Ertegun at the helm, and although he was less directly involved as a producer, he wielded considerable influence in the new conglomerate. He continued to produce some rock acts, such as Dr. John and The Honeydrippers . He also used his considerable personal skills in negotiations with major stars, such as when The Rolling Stones were shopping for
6380-402: The cost of hiring big bands had increased, club owners now found smaller jazz groups more cost-effective. Some of Ellington's new works, such as the wordless vocal feature "Transblucency" (1946) with Kay Davis , were not going to have a similar reach as the newly emerging stars. Ellington continued on his own course through these tectonic shifts. While Count Basie , like many other big bands at
6496-484: The crowd into a frenzy, leading the Maestro to play way beyond the curfew time despite urgent pleas from festival organizer George Wein to bring the program to an end. The concert made international headlines, and led to one of only five Time magazine cover stories dedicated to a jazz musician, and resulted in an album produced by George Avakian that would become the best-selling LP of Ellington's career. Much of
6612-895: The end of each performance. The group was initially called Elmer Snowden and his Black Sox Orchestra and had seven members, including trumpeter James "Bubber" Miley . They renamed themselves The Washingtonians. Snowden left the group in early 1924, and Ellington took over as bandleader. After a fire, the club was re-opened as the Club Kentucky (often referred to as the Kentucky Club). Ellington then made eight records in 1924, receiving composing credit on three including "Choo Choo". In 1925, Ellington contributed four songs to Chocolate Kiddies starring Lottie Gee and Adelaide Hall , an all–African-American revue which introduced European audiences to African-American styles and performers. Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra grew to
6728-414: The era's Jim Crow laws. At the age of seven, Ellington began taking piano lessons from Marietta Clinkscales. Daisy surrounded her son with dignified women to reinforce his manners and teach him elegance. His childhood friends noticed that his casual, offhand manner and dapper dress gave him the bearing of a young nobleman, so they began calling him "Duke". Ellington credited his friend Edgar McEntee for
6844-400: The eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine". Strayhorn, with his training in classical music, not only contributed his original lyrics and music but also arranged and polished many of Ellington's works, becoming a second Ellington or "Duke's doppelgänger". It was not uncommon for Strayhorn to fill in for Duke, whether in conducting or rehearsing the band, playing
6960-514: The following years. After leaving agent Irving Mills, he signed on with the William Morris Agency . Mills, though, continued to record Ellington. After only a year, his Master and Variety labels (the small groups had recorded for the latter) collapsed in late 1937. Mills placed Ellington back on Brunswick and those small group units on Vocalion through to 1940. Well-known sides continued to be recorded, " Caravan " in 1937, and "I Let
7076-574: The group at a Westhampton nightclub in 1965 and signed them to Atlantic. They went on to chart 13 Top 40 singles in four years and were elected to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Ertegun heard Led Zeppelin 's demo and knew they would be a smash hit after hearing the first few songs, and quickly signed them. In the late 1970s, during the disco era, Ertegun contracted producer Silvio Tancredi (Wonderband, Lourett Russell Grant , Herbie Mann) to Atlantic Records. Atlantic Records also held
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#17327878158377192-456: The group, with Sonny Greer saying Bechet "fitted out the band like a glove". His presence resulted in friction with Miley and trombonist Charlie Irvis , whose styles differed from Bechet's New Orleans-influenced playing. It was mainly Bechet's unreliability—he was absent for three days in succession—which made his association with Ellington short-lived. In October 1926, Ellington made an agreement with agent-publisher Irving Mills , giving Mills
7308-438: The instrumental colors Ellington had at his disposal. Recordings exist of Nance's first concert date on November 7, 1940, at Fargo, North Dakota . Privately made by Jack Towers and Dick Burris, these recordings were first legitimately issued in 1978 as Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live ; they are among the earliest of innumerable live performances which survive. Nance was an occasional vocalist as well, although Herb Jeffries
7424-406: The lyrics were written by Dorothy Fields (later Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler ), with some Ellington originals mixed in. (Here, he moved in with a dancer, his second wife Mildred Dixon ). Weekly radio broadcasts from the club gave Ellington national exposure. At the same time, Ellington also recorded Fields-JMcHugh and Fats Waller – Andy Razaf songs. Although trumpeter Bubber Miley was a member of
7540-624: The media, business leaders, and others. A benefit concert held in Ertegün's memory took place on 10 December 2007 at the O2 Arena in London . The headline act was the English rock band Led Zeppelin , who performed their first full-length concert for almost three decades, since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, in a one-off reunion. Bonham's son Jason Bonham played drums during
7656-555: The most significant figures in the modern recording industry." In 2017 he was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in recognition of his work in the music business. Ertegun helped foster ties between the U.S. and Turkey , his birthplace. He served as the chairman of the American Turkish Society for over 20 years until his death. He also co-founded the New York Cosmos soccer team of
7772-571: The music for a stage production by Orson Welles . Titled Time Runs in Paris and An Evening With Orson Welles in Frankfurt , the variety show also featured a newly discovered Eartha Kitt , who performed Ellington's original song "Hungry Little Trouble" as Helen of Troy . In 1951, Ellington suffered a significant loss of personnel: Sonny Greer, Lawrence Brown, and, most importantly, Johnny Hodges left to pursue other ventures. However, only Greer
7888-460: The music on the LP was, in effect, simulated, with only about 40% actually from the concert itself. According to Avakian, Ellington was dissatisfied with aspects of the performance and felt the musicians had been under-rehearsed. The band assembled the next day to re-record several numbers with the addition of the faked sound of a crowd, none of which was disclosed to purchasers of the album. Not until 1999
8004-480: The new Monterey Jazz Festival and elsewhere provided venues for live exposure, and a European tour in 1958 was well received. Such Sweet Thunder (1957), based on Shakespeare's plays and characters, and The Queen's Suite (1958), dedicated to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II , were products of the renewed impetus which the Newport appearance helped to create. However, the latter work was not commercially issued at
8120-419: The nickname: "I think he felt that in order for me to be eligible for his constant companionship, I should have a title. So he called me Duke." Though Ellington took piano lessons, he was more interested in baseball. " President [Theodore] Roosevelt would come on his horse sometimes, and "stop and watch us play," he recalled. Ellington went to Armstrong Technical High School in Washington, D.C. His first job
8236-402: The occasion. He also had a messenger job with the U.S. Navy and State departments, where he made a wide range of contacts. Ellington moved out of his parents' home and bought his own as he became a successful pianist. At first, he played in other ensembles, and in late 1917 formed his first group, "The Duke's Serenaders" ("Colored Syncopators", his telephone directory advertising proclaimed). He
8352-669: The orchestra by conducting from the keyboard using piano cues and visual gestures; very rarely did he conduct using a baton. By 1932 his orchestra consisted of six brass instruments, four reeds, and a rhythm section of four players. As the leader, Ellington was not a strict disciplinarian; he maintained control of his orchestra with a combination of charm, humor, flattery, and astute psychology. A complex, private person, he revealed his feelings to only his closest intimates. He effectively used his public persona to deflect attention away from himself. Ellington signed exclusively to Brunswick in 1932 and stayed with them through to late 1936 (albeit with
8468-528: The orchestra for only a short period, he had a major influence on Ellington's sound. As an early exponent of growl trumpet, Miley changed the sweet dance band sound of the group to one that was hotter, which contemporaries termed Jungle Style, which can be seen in his feature chorus in East St. Louis Toodle-Oo (1926). In October 1927, Ellington and his Orchestra recorded several compositions with Adelaide Hall . One side in particular, " Creole Love Call ", became
8584-500: The orchestra, or big band, as well as for his eloquence and charisma. He was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Award for music in 1999. Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, to James Edward Ellington and Daisy (née Kennedy) Ellington in Washington, D.C. Both his parents were pianists. Daisy primarily played parlor songs , and James preferred operatic arias . They lived with Daisy's parents at 2129 Ida Place (now Ward Place) NW, in D.C.'s West End neighborhood. Duke's father
8700-513: The orchestra. " Cotton Tail ", "Main Stem", " Harlem Air Shaft ", "Jack the Bear", and dozens of others date from this period. Strayhorn's " Take the "A" Train ", a hit in 1941, became the band's theme, replacing " East St. Louis Toodle-Oo ". Ellington and his associates wrote for an orchestra of distinctive voices displaying tremendous creativity. The commercial recordings from this era were re-issued in
8816-684: The other 1950s independent record labels disappear with the waning popularity of rhythm and blues, and said only Ertegun's foresightful adaptation of signing white rock musicians turned out to be the basis of Atlantic's continued success. Four years later, the Ertegun brothers took some of the money and co-founded the New York Cosmos Association football (soccer) team of the North American Soccer League . They were instrumental in bringing soccer legends like Pelé , Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer to
8932-402: The piano, on stage, and in the recording studio. The decade ended with a very successful European tour in 1939 just as World War II loomed in Europe. Two musicians who joined Ellington at this time created a sensation in their own right, Jimmy Blanton and Ben Webster . Blanton was effectively hired on the spot in late October 1939, before Ellington was aware of his name, when he dropped in on
9048-776: The recording and release of Music of the Whirling Dervishes , featuring ayin singer Kâni Karaca and ney player Akagündüz Kutbay on the Atlantic label. In addition to being a seminal figure in the history of popular music, Ertegun was also a prominent philanthropist dedicated to enhancing relations and cultural understanding between the United States and his native country, Turkey. As the chairman of The American Turkish Society , he introduced numerous American dignitaries, business leaders, investors, and artists to Turkey and garnered U.S. support for Turkey. Following
9164-456: The requirements of the Cotton Club's management for the audition, and the engagement finally began on December 4. With a weekly radio broadcast, the Cotton Club's exclusively white and wealthy clientele poured in nightly to see them. At the Cotton Club, Ellington's group performed all the music for the revues, which mixed comedy, dance numbers, vaudeville, burlesque, music, and illicit alcohol . The musical numbers were composed by Jimmy McHugh and
9280-570: The rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C. , Ellington was based in New York City from the mid-1920s and gained a national profile through his orchestra's appearances at the Cotton Club in Harlem . A master at writing miniatures for the three-minute 78 rpm recording format, Ellington wrote or collaborated on more than one thousand compositions; his extensive body of work
9396-403: The rest of the family returned permanently to Turkey, Ahmet and Nesuhi stayed in the United States. While Nesuhi moved to Los Angeles , Ahmet stayed in Washington and decided to get into the record business as a temporary measure to help him through college. In 1946, Ertegun became friends with Herb Abramson , a dental student and A&R man for National Records , and they decided to start
9512-483: The rights to recordings by Stephen Stills . After negotiating with David Geffen , who in turn was negotiating with Clive Davis at Columbia Records to transfer the rights to David Crosby and Graham Nash to Atlantic Records, he signed Crosby, Stills and Nash and convinced the trio to allow Neil Young to join them on one of their tours, thereby founding Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young . Ertegun initially had no desire to sell Atlantic, but his partner Jerry Wexler
9628-554: The same year, Munir Ertegun died. In 1946 President Harry Truman ordered the battleship USS Missouri to return his body to Turkey as a demonstration of friendship between the US and Turkey. This show of support was meant to counter the Soviet Union 's potential political demands on Turkey. At the time of his father's death, Ahmet was taking graduate courses in medieval philosophy at Georgetown University . Soon afterward, when
9744-417: The saxophonist was regularly in conflict with the leader. Musicians enlisting in the military and travel restrictions made touring difficult for the big bands, and dancing became subject to a new tax, which continued for many years, affecting the choices of club owners. By the time World War II ended, the focus of popular music was shifting towards singing crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Jo Stafford . As
9860-400: The segregated South in 1934, they avoided some of the traveling difficulties of African Americans by touring in private railcars. These provided accessible accommodations, dining, and storage for equipment while avoiding the indignities of segregated facilities. However, the competition intensified as swing bands like Benny Goodman 's began to receive widespread attention. Swing dancing became
9976-624: The serious music community, including composer Constant Lambert , which gave a boost to Ellington's interest in composing longer works. His longer pieces had already begun to appear. Ellington had composed and recorded "Creole Rhapsody" as early as 1931 (issued as both sides of a 12" record for Victor and both sides of a 10" record for Brunswick). A tribute to his mother, "Reminiscing in Tempo", took four 10" 78rpm record sides to record in 1935 after her death in that year. Symphony in Black (also 1935),
10092-427: The show. According to John Edward Hasse's Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington , "Perhaps during the run of Show Girl , Ellington received what he later termed 'valuable lessons in orchestration from Will Vody." In his 1946 biography, Duke Ellington , Barry Ulanov wrote: From Vodery, as he (Ellington) says himself, he drew his chromatic convictions, his uses of the tones ordinarily extraneous to
10208-561: The summer of 1914, while working as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Café, Ellington wrote his first composition, "Soda Fountain Rag " (also known as the "Poodle Dog Rag"). He created the piece by ear, as he had not yet learned to read and write music. "I would play the 'Soda Fountain Rag' as a one-step , two-step , waltz , tango , and fox trot ", Ellington recalled. "Listeners never knew it
10324-450: The summer. He would sometimes hear strange music played by those who could not afford much sheet music, so for variations, they played the sheets upside down. Henry Lee Grant, a Dunbar High School music teacher, gave him private lessons in harmony . With the additional guidance of Washington pianist and band leader Oliver "Doc" Perry, Ellington learned to read sheet music , project a professional style, and improve his technique. Ellington
10440-512: The three-CD collection, Never No Lament , in 2003. Ellington's long-term aim, though, was to extend the jazz form from that three-minute limit, of which he was an acknowledged master. While he had composed and recorded some extended pieces before, such works now became a regular feature of Ellington's output. In this, he was helped by Strayhorn, who had enjoyed a more thorough training in the forms associated with classical music than Ellington. The first of these, Black, Brown, and Beige (1943),
10556-553: The time, was forced to disband his whole ensemble and work as an octet for a time, Ellington was able to tour most of Western Europe between April 6 and June 30, 1950, with the orchestra playing 74 dates over 77 days. During the tour, according to Sonny Greer, Ellington did not perform the newer works. However, Ellington's extended composition, Harlem (1950), was in the process of being completed at this time. Ellington later presented its score to music-loving President Harry Truman . Also during his time in Europe, Ellington would compose
10672-499: The time. The late 1950s also saw Ella Fitzgerald record her Duke Ellington Songbook (Verve) with Ellington and his orchestra—a recognition that Ellington's songs had now become part of the cultural canon known as the ' Great American Songbook '. Around this time Ellington and Strayhorn began to work on film scoring . The first of these was Anatomy of a Murder (1959), a courtroom drama directed by Otto Preminger and featuring James Stewart , in which Ellington appeared fronting
10788-585: The tribute with the jazz standard "Didn't He Ramble", Eric Clapton and Dr. John performed "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee", and other performers included Solomon Burke , Ben E. King , Sam Moore , Stevie Nicks , Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young , and Phil Collins . Another informal salute to him took place in Los Angeles on July 31, 2007, the anniversary of his birth. The tribute took place at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Several of his friends shared anecdotes about their experiences with him and
10904-488: Was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist . Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records . He discovered and championed many leading rhythm and blues and rock musicians. Ertegun also wrote classic blues and pop songs. He served as the chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum, located in Cleveland, Ohio . Ertegun has been described as "one of
11020-515: Was a permanent departee. Drummer Louie Bellson replaced Greer, and his "Skin Deep" was a hit for Ellington. Tenor player Paul Gonsalves had joined in December 1950 after periods with Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie and stayed for the rest of his life, while Clark Terry joined in November 1951. André Previn said in 1952: "You know, Stan Kenton can stand in front of a thousand fiddles and
11136-483: Was a popular hit for Pat Boone . He also wrote the Ray Charles hit " Mess Around ", with lyrics that drew heavily on " Pinetop's Boogie Woogie ". He was briefly listed as "Nuggy" in the credits before changing to "A. Nugetre". Ertegun was part of the shouting choral group on Turner's " Shake, Rattle and Roll ", along with Wexler and songwriter Jesse Stone . He also wrote "Ting A Ling", a 1956 hit for The Clovers that
11252-414: Was alive, since I did not want him to become the target of hate mails and threats from Turkish extremists by alerting them that he was considering the possibility of issuing a public statement on the Armenian Genocide. Alas, he passed away without being able to do so, which is a great loss for both Armenians and Turks. I hasten to add that it is a greater loss for Turkey. Ertegun believed that by acknowledging
11368-609: Was also inspired by his first encounters with stride pianists James P. Johnson and Luckey Roberts. Later in New York, he took advice from Will Marion Cook , Fats Waller , and Sidney Bechet . He started to play gigs in cafés and clubs in and around Washington, D.C. His attachment to music was so strong that in 1916 he turned down an art scholarship to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn . Three months before graduating, he dropped out of Armstrong Manual Training School, where he
11484-610: Was also the group's booking agent. His first play date was at the True Reformer's Hall, where he took home 75 cents. Ellington played throughout the D.C. area and into Virginia for private society balls and embassy parties. The band included childhood friend Otto Hardwick , who began playing the string bass, then moved to C-melody sax and finally settled on alto saxophone; Arthur Whetsel on trumpet; Elmer Snowden on banjo; and Sonny Greer on drums. The band thrived, performing for both African-American and white audiences, rare in
11600-410: Was among the first labels to record in stereo , and in 1957 was the first record company to utilize an 8-track tape machine . Ertegun himself wrote a number of classic blues songs, including "Chains of Love" and "Sweet Sixteen", under the pseudonym "A. Nugetre" ("Ertegun" backwards). The songs were given expression first by Big Joe Turner and continued in B.B. King 's repertoire. "Chains of Love"
11716-538: Was an accomplished musician who played keyboard and stringed instruments. She bought the popular records of the day, to which Ahmet and his brother, Nesuhi , listened. His older brother Nesuhi introduced him to jazz music, taking him at the age of nine to see the Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway orchestras in London. In 1935, Ahmet and his family moved to Washington, D.C. , with his father, Munir Ertegun , who
11832-717: Was appointed as the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the United States. When Ahmet was 14, his mother bought him a record-cutting machine, which he used to compose and add lyrics to instrumental records. Ertegun's love for music pulled him into the heart of Washington, DC's black district where he would routinely see such top acts as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong . He attended Landon School , an affluent all-male private school in Bethesda, Maryland . Ahmet joked, "I got my real education at
11948-588: Was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina , on April 15, 1879, and in 1886, moved to D.C. with his parents. Daisy Kennedy was born in Washington, D.C., on January 4, 1879, the daughter of two former American slaves . James Ellington made blueprints for the United States Navy . When Ellington was a child, his family showed racial pride and support in their home, as did many other families. African Americans in D.C. worked to protect their children from
12064-533: Was buried December 18 in the Garden of Sufi Tekke, Özbekler Tekkesi in Sultantepe , Üsküdar , Istanbul next to his brother, his father and his sheikh great-grandfather Şeyh İbrahim Edhem Efendi, who was once the head of the tekke in his native Turkey. A memorial service for Ertegun was held in New York on April 17, 2007. A large part of the evening was given over to musical performances. Wynton Marsalis opened
12180-574: Was covered by Buddy Holly . "Fool, Fool, Fool", another Clovers song was a hit for Kay Starr . His " Don't Play That Song (You Lied) " was recorded by Aretha Franklin , Ben E. King , and in an international version by Adriano Celentano . The five lines of the lyrics of "Lovey Dovey" by the Clovers were used by Steve Miller in his hit " The Joker ". Other Nugetre rhythm and blues hits include "Whatcha Gonna Do" by The Drifters, "Wild, Wild Young Men" by Ruth Brown, Ray Charles's "Heartbreaker", "Middle of
12296-423: Was dedicated to telling the story of African Americans and the place of slavery and the church in their history. Black, Brown and Beige debuted at Carnegie Hall on January 23, 1943, beginning an annual series of Ellington concerts at the venue over the next four years. While some jazz musicians had played at Carnegie Hall before, none had performed anything as elaborate as Ellington's work. Unfortunately, starting
12412-515: Was his neighbor) Shuffle Along . After the young musicians left the Sweatman Orchestra to strike out on their own, they found an emerging jazz scene that was highly competitive with difficult inroad. They hustled pool by day and played whatever gigs they could find. The young band met stride pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith , who introduced them to the scene and gave them some money. They played at rent-house parties for income. After
12528-663: Was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2005, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented Ertegun with the first "President's Merit Award Salute To Industry Icons". He was also a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence. Ertegun is interviewed on screen in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky! , which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues , rock and roll , funk and jazz . Ertegun approved
12644-407: Was light-skinned, should wear makeup. Ellington objected in the interval and compared Jeffries to Al Jolson . The change was reverted. The singer later commented that the audience must have thought he was an entirely different character in the second half of the show. Although it had sold-out performances and received positive reviews, it ran for only 122 performances until September 29, 1941, with
12760-435: Was nervous about the label's future and after convincing Ertegun's brother Nesuhi of his position, Ertegun eventually conceded and they sold Atlantic to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in 1967 for $ 17 million in stock, although Wexler later admitted that, because of assets like the rights to the hit movie Woodstock and the accompanying record , the deal paid them less than half of what the label was actually worth. Wexler had seen
12876-566: Was postponed by two weeks because Jimmy Page fractured a finger. Ertegun's collection of modernist works is now housed at The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida . The collection includes works by Oscar Bluemner , Thomas Hart Benton , Stuart Davis , Werner Drewes , John Ferren, Ilya Bolotowsky , and Albert Swinden ; Ertegun's alma mater , St. John's College, presented an exhibition of works from this collection in 2015. Ertegun has been represented several times in popular culture. In Ray ,
12992-578: Was selling peanuts at Washington Senators baseball games. Ellington started sneaking into Frank Holiday's Poolroom at age fourteen. Hearing the music of the poolroom pianists ignited Ellington's love for the instrument, and he began to take his piano studies seriously. Among the many piano players he listened to were Doc Perry, Lester Dishman, Louis Brown, Turner Layton , Gertie Wells, Clarence Bowser, Sticky Mack, Blind Johnny, Cliff Jackson , Claude Hopkins , Phil Wurd, Caroline Thornton, Luckey Roberts , Eubie Blake , Joe Rochester, and Harvey Brooks . In
13108-469: Was studying commercial art. Working as a freelance sign painter from 1917, Ellington began assembling groups to play for dances. In 1919, he met drummer Sonny Greer from New Jersey, who encouraged Ellington's ambition to become a professional musician. Ellington built his music business through his day job. When a customer asked him to make a sign for a dance or party, he would ask if they had musical entertainment; if not, Ellington would offer to play for
13224-403: Was the concert recording properly released for the first time. The revived attention brought about by the Newport appearance should not have surprised anyone, Johnny Hodges had returned the previous year, and Ellington's collaboration with Strayhorn was renewed around the same time, under terms more amenable to the younger man. The original Ellington at Newport album was the first release in
13340-498: Was the main male vocalist in this era (until 1943) while Al Hibbler (who replaced Jeffries in 1943) continued until 1951. Ivie Anderson left in 1942 for health reasons after 11 years, the longest term of any of Ellington's vocalists. Once more recording for Victor (from 1940), with the small groups being issued on their Bluebird label, three-minute masterpieces on 78 rpm record sides continued to flow from Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Ellington's son Mercer Ellington , and members of
13456-494: Was the same piece. I was established as having my own repertoire." In his autobiography, Music is my Mistress (1973), Ellington wrote that he missed more lessons than he attended, feeling at the time that piano was not his talent. Ellington continued listening to, watching, and imitating ragtime pianists, not only in Washington, D.C. but also in Philadelphia and Atlantic City , where he vacationed with his mother during
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