Duke Ellington Gives an Interview Concerning His Music an Upcoming Tour
1700-1-1
Duke Ellington is interviewed on a radio show. He talks about his music and an upcoming tour. He is asked to identify piano players based soley on short recordings of their playing, and does so correctly three times. The third such example was Richard M. Nixon, which leads to a discussion of a time when Ellington was honored at the White House, under the Nixon administration. Ellington is again quizzed, asked to identify the author of a specific quote, which was Ellington himself, on the occasion of being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. The interview continues in this vein, focusing on Ellington's many achievements. The recording goes on after the end of the interview, and the interviewers go back to asking Ellington certain questions that were missed the first time through. A number of takes are done, as the interviewer makes mistakes in introducing the first of Ellington's themesongs. As a side note, the interviewer calls attention to the fact that Ellington is adding sugar to the coke that he is drinking. The last five minutes of the interview are done without Duke Ellington present, as the interviewers rerecord key moments of the interview.




Associated people: