BioDiscographyAwards

BioDiscographyAwards

BioDiscographyAwards

BioEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington(April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist and band leader of jazz orchestras. His career spanned over 50 years, leading his orchestra from 1923 until death. Though widely considered to have been a pivotal figure in the history of jazz, Ellington himself embraced the phrase "beyond category" as a "liberating principle," and referred his music to the more general category of "American Music," rather than to a musical genre such as "jazz.“ Born in Washington, D.C., he was based in New York City from the mid-1920s onwards, and gained a national profile through his orchestra's appearances at the Cotton Club. In the 1930s they toured in Europe.

Some of the musicians who were members of Ellington's orchestra, such as saxophonist Johnny Hodges, are still, in their own right, considered to be among the best players in jazz, but it was Ellington who melded them into the best-known jazz orchestral unit in the history of jazz. Several members of the orchestra remained members for several decades. A master at writing miniatures for the three-minute 78 rpm record format, Ellington often composed specifically for the style and skills of his individual musicians, such as "Jeep's Blues" for Hodges, and "Concerto for Cootie" for trumpeter Cootie Williams, which later became "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me" with Bob Russell's lyrics.

Often collaborating with others, Ellington originated over a thousand compositions and his extensive oeuvre is the largest recorded personal jazz legacy, with many of his extant works having become standards. Ellington also recorded songs written by his bandsmen, for example Juan Tizol's "Caravan" and "Perdido" which brought Spanish tinge to big-band jazz.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington

DiscographyCompilation Albums:

Complete Works: 1924-1947 (Proper UK) (2003) (40 discs)Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick And Vocalion Recordings Of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931 (GRP Records/ Verve Music Group) (3 discs)The Best of Early Duke Ellington (GRP Records/ Verve Music Group) (1 disc) [1926-1931]Masterpieces, 1926-1949 (Proper) (4 discs)The Duke Box (Storyville) (2007) (8 discs)The Gold Collection, 40 Classic Performances (Proper/Retro) (2 discs)1936-40 Small Group Sessions (Mosaic) (7 discs)The Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA-Victor Recordings (1999) (24 discs)The Complete RCA-Victor Mid-Forties Recordings (2000)The Complete Capitol Recordings (Blue Note) (1999) (5 discs) [mid-1950s]The Private Collection (1956–1971) (Saja) (10 discs)The Reprise Studio Recordings (Mosaic) (5 discs) [early 1960s]

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington_discography

AwardsGRAMMY AWARDS WON

YEAR CATEGORY TITLE

1999 Historical Album The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition1979 Best Jazz Instrumental Performance Duke Ellington At Fargo, 1940 Live1976 Best Jazz Performance By A Big Band The Ellington Suites1972 Best Jazz Performance By A Big Band Togo Brava Suite1971 Best Jazz Performance By A Big Band New Orleans Suite1968 Best Instrumental Jazz Performance ...And His Mother Called Him Bill

Large Group or Soloist With Large Group1967 Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Far East Suite

Large Group or Soloist With Large Group1966 Best Original Jazz Composition "In The Beginning God"1965 Best Instrumental Jazz Performance - Ellington '66

Large Group Or Soloist With Large Group1959 Best Performance By A Dance Band Anatomy of a Murder1959 Best Musical Composition First Recorded Anatomy of a Murder

And Released In 1959 (More Than 5 Minutes)1959 Best Sound Track Album – Background Score Anatomy of a Murder

From A Motion Picture Or Television

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington

BioCharles "Charlie" Parker, Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), also known as "Yardbird" and "Bird", was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.

Parker was a highly influential jazz soloist and a leading figure in the development of bebop, a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique, and improvisation. Parker introduced revolutionary harmonic ideas, including rapid passing chords, new variants of altered chords, and chord substitutions. His tone ranged from clean and penetrating to sweet and somber. Many Parker recordings demonstrate his virtuoso playing style and complex melodic lines, sometimes combining jazz with other musical genres, including blues, Latin, and classical.

Parker acquired the nickname "Yardbird" early in his career and the shortened form, "Bird", which continued to be used for the rest of his life, inspired the titles of a number of Parker compositions, such as "Yardbird Suite", "Ornithology", "Bird Gets the Worm", and "Bird of Paradise."

Parker was an icon for the hipster subculture and later the Beat Generation, personifying the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than an entertainer.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker

DiscographyLive AlbumsLive at Townhall w. Dizzy (1945)Yardbird in Lotus Land (1945)Bird and Pres (1946) (Verve)Jazz at the Philharmonic (1946) (Polygram)Rapping with Bird (1946-1951)Bird and Diz at Carnegie Hall (1947) (Blue Note)The Complete Savoy Live Performances (1947–1950)Bird on 52nd Street (1948)The Complete Dean Benedetti Recordings (1948–1951)Jazz at the Philharmonic (1949) (Verve)Charlie Parker and the Stars of Modern Jazz at Carnegie Hall (1949) (Jazz)Bird in Paris (1949)Bird in France (1949)Charlie Parker All Stars Live at the Royal Roost (1949)One Night in Birdland (1950) (Columbia)Bird at St. Nick's (1950)

Bird at the Apollo Theatre and St. Nicklas Arena (1950)Apartment Jam Sessions (1950)Charlie Parker at the Pershing Ballroom Chicago (1950)Bird in Sweden (1950) (Storyville)Happy Bird (1951)Summit Meeting at Birdland (1951) (Columbia)Live at Rockland Palace (1952)Jam Session (1952) (Polygram)At Jirayr Zorthian's Ranch, July 14, 1952 (1952) The Complete Legendary Rockland Palace Concert (1952)Charlie Parker: Montreal 1953 (1953)One Night in Washington (1953) (VGM)Bird at the High Hat (1953) (Blue Note)Charlie Parker at Storyville (1953)Jazz at Massey Hall aka. The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever (1953)

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker

AwardsGrammy Awards

Grammys Won

Year Category Title Genre Label1974 Best Performance By A Soloist First Recordings! Jazz Onyx

Grammy Hall of Fame Awards

Year Title Genre Label Year Inducted

1945 "Billie's Bounce" Jazz (Single) Savoy 20021953 Jazz at Massey Hall Jazz (Album) Debut 19951946 "Ornithology" Jazz (Single) Dial 19891950 Charlie Parker with Strings Jazz (Album) Mercury 1988

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker

BioKurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist and vocalese performer.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling first became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church. Growing up, Elling sang in choirs and played various musical instruments, but was not exposed to jazz until he attended Gustavus Adolphus College. Elling enrolled in graduate school at the University of Chicago Divinity School, but left school one credit short of a master's degree to pursue a career as a jazz vocalist.

Elling began to perform around Chicago, scat singing and improvising his own lyrics. He recorded a demo in the early 1990s and was signed by Blue Note Records, releasing a total of six albums with the label.

He has been nominated for ten Grammy Awards, winning Best Vocal Jazz Album for Dedicated to You (2009) on the Concord Jazz label. Elling often leads the Down Beat critics poll, and he was awarded the Prix Billie Holiday from the Académie du Jazz. Since 1995, Elling has collaborated with pianist, composer, and arranger Laurence Hobgood, leading a quartet that regularly tours the world.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Elling

DiscographyBlue Note RecordsClose Your Eyes (1995)The Messenger (1997)This Time It's Love (1998)Live in Chicago (2000)Flirting with Twilight (2001)Man in the Air (2003)

Concord RecordsNightmoves (2007)Dedicated to You (2009)The Gate (2011)1619 Broadway – The Brill Building Project (2012)

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Elling

AwardsGrammy Nominations/Awards

Year Recipient Award Result

1995 Close Your Eyes Best Jazz Vocal Performance Nominated1997 The Messenger Best Jazz Vocal Performance Nominated1998 This Time it's Love Best Jazz Vocal Performance Nominated2000 Live in Chicago Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated2001 Flirting with Twilight Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated2001 "Easy Living" Best Instrumental Arrangement Nominated2003 Man in the Air Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated2007 Nightmoves Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated2009 Dedicated to You Best Jazz Vocal Album Won2012 The Gate Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated2013 1619 Broadway Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Elling

Sourceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_ellington

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington_discography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_parker

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker_discography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Elling