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1 | |
Duke Ellington was a pianist, but most jazz writers agree that his orchestra was his real instrument. |
| | A) | true |
| | B) | false |
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2 | |
Ellington’s major break came during the band’s tenure at |
| | A) | Harlem’s Cotton Club |
| | B) | the Palomar Ballroom |
| | C) | the Club Alabam in Times Square |
| | D) | Glen Island Casino |
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3 | |
The Ellington band’s theme song, “Take the A Train,” was written by |
| | A) | Cootie Williams |
| | B) | Duke Ellington |
| | C) | Billy Strayhorn |
| | D) | Fletcher Henderson |
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4 | |
Ellington, like Benny Goodman before him, also ‘broke the color barrier’ when he hired drummer |
| | A) | Buddy Rich |
| | B) | Joe Jones |
| | C) | Louie Bellson |
| | D) | Gene Krupa |
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5 | |
Although many Ellingtonites spent their entire careers with the band, who was the record holder who stayed from 1926 to 1974. |
| | A) | saxophonist Johnny Hodges |
| | B) | saxophonist Harry Carney |
| | C) | trumpeter Cottie Williams |
| | D) | trombonist Lawrence Brown |
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6 | |
The Ellington “book” (repertoire of arrangements and compositions) is often divided into how many categories or styles? |
| | A) | two |
| | B) | four |
| | C) | three |
| | D) | five |
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7 | |
The first of his largers works (many would follow) was |
| | A) | “Black Brown and Beige” |
| | B) | “Creole Rhapsody” |
| | C) | “Reminiscing in Rhythm” |
| | D) | “Concerto for Cootie” |
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8 | |
Ellington’s trombone sections, ultimately called “God’s trombones,” included |
| | A) | Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney and Barney Bigard |
| | B) | Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart and Clark Terry |
| | C) | Louis Bellson, Jimmie Blanton and Ben Webster |
| | D) | Lawrence Brown, Jual Tizol and “Tricky Sam” Nanton |
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9 | |
While Duke Ellington was an established fixture in American jazz, he and his orchestra never left the United States. |
| | A) | true |
| | B) | false |
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10 | |
Which style of the Ellington orchestras was built around the raucous playing of Cootie Williams, Bubber Miley and Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton? |
| | A) | jungle |
| | B) | concerto |
| | C) | mood |
| | D) | standard |
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11 | |
According to many critics, the Ellington orchestra's greatest recording years were |
| | A) | between 1927 and 1931 |
| | B) | between 1940 and 1942 |
| | C) | between 1943 and 1951 |
| | D) | between 1960 and 1962 |
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12 | |
Like most of the bands of the Swing Era, the Ellington Band’s personnel was in almost constant flux. |
| | A) | true |
| | B) | false |
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13 | |
The years from 1943 to 1951 were difficult ones for Duke Ellington and his orchestra because of |
| | A) | a great turnover in personnel |
| | B) | the decline of ballroom and night club business |
| | C) | the challenge of bebop |
| | D) | all of the above |
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14 | |
Although successful during his lifetime, as the years pass, Duke Ellington is now being relegated to the back burner of jazz history. |
| | A) | true |
| | B) | false |
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15 | |
Who joined the Ellington organization in 1939 and became the Duke’s compositional “alter ego?” |
| | A) | Johnny Hodges |
| | B) | Billy Strayhorn |
| | C) | Cootie Williams |
| | D) | Jimmie Blanton |
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