Duke Ellington

From patriotic anthems to freedom songs to soul-jazz staples, WRTI has your soundtrack for the Fourth of July. Here are some highlights.

A campaign is underway to posthumously award the great Duke Ellington with the Pulitzer Prize in Music—an honor that he was denied back in 1965.

We’re celebrating the birth of Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as the “Duke.” With drive, charisma, and vision, Ellington became one of the first…

Throughout the month of February, join us for a special classical and jazz celebration of Black History Month on WRTI.Each week, we're spotlighting a key…

It's Black History Month, and on WRTI we're looking closely at bandleader, composer, and pianist Duke Ellington, who wrote over 1,700 songs, as well as…

July 8, 2019. When trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader Pete McGuinness was growing up in West Hartford, Connecticut, he wanted to be Duke Ellington. So…

Live from the WRTI Performance Studio, we heard moving selections from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts, performed by musicians who will be appearing with…

February 4, 2019. Trained as a classical violinist, Rachel Barton Pine grew up listening to the blues, and one day was thrilled to discover the two genres…

There are not enough letter O's in smooth when you’re talking about the Duke. Ellington was elegance personified. This band leader was refined in…

In 1956, a groundbreaking performance at the Newport Jazz Festival changed the course of Duke Ellington's path in jazz. WRTI’s Susan Lewis has more. Radio…