The Musicians
Edward "Duke" Ellington (1899-1974)
Duke Ellington was a gifted pianist, composer, and arranger who brought a level of style to Jazz that it hadn't seen before. Ellington lead a group called The Washingtonians where they found work at the Hollywood Club in Manhattan. Bubber Miley, a trumpet player, joined the band and brought his unique plunger mute style of playing which lead to the sound being called the 'jungle sound' which made Ellington successful early in his career. Ellington's orchestra eventually became the house band at the Cotton Club and radio broadcasts from the club made him famous across America.