Mercer Ellington

Mercer Ellington
Mercer Ellington

Photo by Tom Marcello
Background information
Birth name Mercer Kennedy Ellington
Born March 11, 1919(1919-03-11)
Origin Washington, D.C., USA
Died February 8, 1996(1996-02-08) (aged 76)
Genres Swing, Big band
Occupations Trumpeter, composer, arranger
Instruments Trumpet
Associated acts Duke Ellington

Mercer Kennedy Ellington (11 March 1919 – 8 February 1996) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger.

Ellington was born in Washington, DC, the son of famous composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington. By the age of eighteen he had written his first piece to be recorded by his father ("Pigeons and Peppers").

In 1939, 1946–1949, and 1959 he led his own bands, many of whose members went on to play with his father, or to achieve independent fame (notably Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Idrees Sulieman, Chico Hamilton, Charles Mingus, and Carmen McRae). During the 1940s in particular he wrote pieces that became standards, including "Things Ain't What They Used to Be", "Jumpin' Punkins", "Moon Mist", and "Blue Serge". He also wrote the lyrics to Hillis Walters' popular song, "Pass Me By" (1946), which was recorded by Lena Horne, Carmen McRae and Peggy Lee.

He composed for his father from 1940 to 1941, worked as road manager for Cootie Williams' orchestra (1941 to 1943 and again in 1954), and returned to work for his father playing E-flat horn in 1950, and then as general manager and copyist from 1955 to 1959. In 1960 he became Della Reese's musical director, then in 1962 went on take a job as a radio DJ in New York for three years. In 1965 he again returned to his father's orchestra, this time as trumpeter and road manager.

When his father died in 1974, Ellington took over the orchestra, taking it on tour to Europe in 1975 and 1977 (his own son, Edward Ellington, played in the band in the late 1970s, and his other son, Paul Ellington, took it over at a later date). In the early 1980s he became the first conductor for a Broadway musical of his father's music, Sophisticated Ladies. Before his death the Duke Ellington Orchestra included Barrie Lee Hall, Rocky White, Tommy James, Gregory Charles Royal, J.J. Wiggins, and Shelly Carrol among others. Mercer Ellington performed up to the day of his passing.

Ellington died of a heart attack a month short of his seventy-seventh birthday.[citation needed]

The Duke Ellington Orchestra still runs today under the Direction of Paul Ellington, who also controls the Estate of Mercer & Duke Ellington.[1]

Discography as leader

  • 1958: Black and Tan Fantasy
  • 1958: Steppin' into Swing Society
  • 1959: Colors in Rhythm
  • 1974: Continuum
  • 1984: Hot and Bothered
  • 1987: Digital Duke (reached number three on the Billboard Top Jazz Album chart)
  • 1989: Music Is My Mistress
  • 1992: Take the Holiday Train
  • 1996: Only God Can Make a Tree

References

Sources and external links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mercer Ellington — in concert an der University of Rochester 1975 Mercer Kennedy Ellington (* 11. März 1919 in Washington D. C.; † 8. Februar 1996 in Kopenhagen) war ein amerikanischer Jazztrompeter, Komponist und Arrangeur. Er ist der Sohn d …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Mercer Ellington — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Ellington. Mercer Ellington en 1975 Mercer Kennedy Ellington, né le 11 mars 1919 à Wash …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ellington — ist der Name mehrerer Personen: Duke Ellington (1899–1974), US amerikanischer Jazzmusiker Marie Ellington (* 1922), US amerikanische Sängerin Mercer Ellington (1919–1996), US amerikanischer Jazzmusiker Steve Ellington (* 1941), US amerikanischer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ellington —   [ elɪȖtən], Duke, eigentlich Edward Kennedy Ellington, amerikanischer Jazzpianist, komponist, Bandleader, * Washington (D. C.) 29. 4. 1899, ✝ New York 24. 5. 1974; begann 1916 als Ragtimespieler, spielte seit 1922 mit eigenem Ensemble (seit… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Ellington, Duke — orig. Edward Kennedy Ellington born April 29, 1899, Washington, D.C., U.S. died May 24, 1974, New York, N.Y. U.S. pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. He formed his band in 1924 in Washington, D.C.; by 1927 it was performing regularly at… …   Universalium

  • Mercer — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Mercer », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) En anglais, mercer signifie mercier, une… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ellington — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Ellington peut faire référence à : Patronyme Duke Ellington (1899 1974), pianiste, compositeur et chef d orchestre de jazz américain ; Erik… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ellington at Newport — Livealbum von Duke Ellington Veröffentlichung 1956 Label Columbia Records …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Duke Ellington — Frankfurt am Main, February 6, 1965 Background information Birth name Edward Kennedy Ellington Born …   Wikipedia

  • Duke Ellington Orchestra — Duke Ellington und das Duke Ellington Orchestra 1943 Das Duke Ellington Orchestra (auch: Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, zunächst The Washingtonians) war eine Jazzband des Swing von den 1920er bis in die 1970er Jahre in unterschiedlichen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”