Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra

**Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra** were the ultimate jazz powerhouse led by the legendary composer and bandleader Duke Ellington. By the mid-1940s, the group was already iconic, blending swing, blues, and avant-garde experimentation into what Ellington called "American music." Their legendary 1946 Carnegie Hall performance (captured on *Live at Carnegie Hall, January 4, 1946*) showcased Ellington’s genius for orchestral storytelling, with extended suites and daring solos. Tracks like *Air Conditioned Jungle* and *Time’s A-Wastin’* from this era highlight the band’s tight grooves and playful sophistication, proving they could outswing anyone while pushing jazz into new territories. Even as big bands faded post-WWII, Ellington’s crew stayed relevant thanks to his knack for reinvention and his all-star lineup of players (like Johnny Hodges and Harry Carney). A master collaborator, Ellington turned his orchestra into a lifelong creative laboratory—and left a legacy that still swings hard today.

Genres

Big Band

Jazz

Ragtime

Blues

Avant-garde Jazz

Bebop

Swing

Cool Jazz

Experimental Jazz

American Music

Related Artists

Louis Armstrong

Ella Fitzgerald

Count Basie

Benny Goodman

Artie Shaw

Lionel Hampton

Billie Holiday

Cab Calloway

Glenn Miller

Charlie Parker

Thelonious Monk

Tommy Dorsey

Latest Release

All That Jazz, Vol. 71: Duke Ellington Live at Carnegie Hall, January 4, 1946 (Remastered 2016)

Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra

Album - 21 Tracks - Released September 23, 2016