Duke Ellington

Nine years ago, Louis Tavecchio began his program for the Concertzender. He was 69 years old and already a great admirer of the American composer, bandleader, and pianist Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ Ellington for 50 years. During that nine-year period, he has showcased music largely drawn from his extensive Ellington collection. The development of Ellington as a musician and composer from 1926 to 1973 is not only impressive in terms of the quality and quantity of compositions and recordings. Due to the great diversity, often venturing outside the confines of strict ‘jazz’ idioms, he became known to a larger audience. In this 250th episode, Louis discusses his passion and shares some of his favorite Ellington recordings.