Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington's My People flac album

My People is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington written and recorded in 1963 for a stage show and originally released on Bob Thiele's short-lived Contact label befor being reissed on the Flying Dutchman label and later released on CD on the Red Baron label. The album features recordings of compositions by Ellington for a stage show presented in Chicago as part of the Century of Negro Progress Exposition in 1963.

In a discography as large as Duke Ellington's, it's inevitable some records would fall by the wayside, and My People is one of them. Strangely, it is not a simple one-off session that was forgotten by the public at large. My People was a long-form work designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, commissioned by the Century of Negro Progress Exposition, which ran the theatrical piece at McCormick Place in Chicago between August 16 and September 2, 1963.

Ellington was born in Washington toward the end of the 19th century and built his career as the leader of a great orchestra. His facility in managing the great players he employed, and his ability to write music that suited their styles made him the pre-eminent bandleader. Hits came his way, but when he began to develop long-form works, he rose to another level.

DUKE ELLINGTON - My People. Filed under Jazz Related Soundtracks By DUKE ELLINGTON.

This is the discography of Duke Ellington. Most of these recordings are listed by the year they were recorded rather than year released. Reissues are listed for most of the recordings released before the 1950s, as the original 78s are rare.

Duke Ellington's Songs. Ellington's fame rose to the rafters in the 1940s when he composed several masterworks, including "Concerto for Cootie," "Cotton Tail" and "Ko-Ko. Some of his most popular songs included "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Solitude," and "Satin Doll.