Duke Ellington composed thousands of works over more than five decades, establishing an unparalleled catalog in jazz. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1899, he used his orchestra as a living laboratory, crafting miniatures tailored to the three-minute 78 rpm format as well as extended suites that pushed jazz toward symphonic ambitions. Working closely with Billy Strayhorn, who contributed "Take the 'A' Train" and collaborated on extended works, Ellington created compositions including "Mood Indigo," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," "In a Sentimental Mood," "Caravan," "Solitude," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)." His compositions drew on the unique voices of his orchestra members, with Juan Tizol contributing "Caravan" and early works shaped by trumpeter Bubber Miley. Beyond popular songs, Ellington composed extended suites like Black, Brown and Beige and Harlem, asserting jazz as a serious art form. His later collaborations included "Take the Coltrane" and works for the sacred concerts that occupied his final years. He died in New York in 1974.
