Duke Ellington

March 1, 2009
Gr 4-8Pre-ceded by a time line of personal and public events, this biography begins with a brief discussion of the lives of Ellington's parents and his childhood introduction to music and instruments. As each chapter introduces separate highlights of the man's life and musical growth, sidebar articles emphasize historical milestones in music (the Harlem Renaissance, Jazz Pioneers, Tin Pan Alley, etc.) and the impact of individuals or events on his life. The book also features 21 interactive activities, each of which is positioned to provide a greater understanding of an instrument, performance, or music theory in jazz style (e.g., writing the blues, an improvisation exercise, illustrating sheet music covers, or dancing the Lindy Hop). Illustrations and the boxed information break up the text-heavy pages while the activities range from those suiting younger readers (experimenting with sound effects, making a shaker) to the more complicated (learning to read drum notation). This account of Ellington's life story reveals his late introduction to music as a career possibility and lightly touches on his personal relationships and lack of education. Illustrations include performance photographs and portraits of notable names from the Big Band era. Bibliographic references, recommended recordings and films, and annotated Web sites complete this thorough look at Ellington's musical life and legacy."Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 This large-format book combines an illustrated biography of Duke Ellington with activities designed to offer insights into Ellingtons era and his music. The main text presents Ellingtons life in a straightforward account, concentrating on his career as a jazz musician, composer, and band leader. Meanwhile, the many sidebars discuss related topics such as turn-of-the-twentieth-century music technology (piano rolls and phonographs) and the U.S. State Departments jazz ambassadors program during the Cold War. Appearing throughout the book, the activities mentioned in the subtitle vary from Learn to Read Drum Notation to Make Corn Bread for a Rent Party to Write Lyrics to an Ellington Tune. Some activities are illustrated with drawings of young children, an odd choice that might put off readers in their teens. The many black-and-white excellent photos show up well on the glossy pages. Appendixes include bibliographies and lists of recommended recordings, films, and Web sites. An informative account inan attractive paperback format.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)