Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington and his music have been an integral part of the American scene for most of the twentieth century. This interpretive biography offers insights into Ellington's enduring appeal, not only as a composer and piano-playing leader of a jazz orchestra, but as a cultural icon. Janna Tull Steed traces Ellington's journey from a protected childhood in Washington, D.C., through his early career as a jazzman in Harlem nightclubs to the presentation of his music in the world's grandest cathedrals in his last years.

CONTENTS:
Recapitulation; The Road Taken; Washington Days; Harlem & Hollywood; Lost & Found; Dreams & Realities; Rebirth, Rejection & Sweet Revenge; Wider Horizons; God's Messenger; Coda

JANNA TULL STEED is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church and a recognized authority on the Sacred Concerts of Duke Ellington. Her work in this area ranges from scholarly research, writing lectures to consulting, producing and performing. Steed was a writer and producer for the long-hour documentary on Duke Ellington's sacred music for the Duke Ellington Centennial Radio Project.

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