Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra

A great biography to read to children in my opinion. Reading this to myself I found a rhythm in the author's writing and before I knew it I was reading the words aloud to nobody. The style just had so much attitude, and it was fun interpreting how the writer may have wanted the story to sound.

Husband-and-wife team Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney turn to the story of the great Jazz musician and composer Duke Ellington in this picture-book biography, with very engaging results. Chronicling the life of an American legend, from his boyhood in early twentieth century Washington, D.C., when he rebelled against the piano lessons imposed by his parents - the sound of the music he was asked to practice led "nowhere worth following," in his view - through his discovery that this was an instrument that could be used in a variety of genres and styles, Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra follows its subject through the creation of his Jazz group (Duke Ellington and his Orchestra) and their ascent to fame, and show more concludes with the famous 1943 concert at Carnegie Hall, where the piece Black, Brown and Beige was introduced. An afterword provides additional information, as well as a list of sources.

I enjoyed this brief introduction to the life of Duke Ellington, particularly as I know so little about him, and think that Brian Pinkney's lively illustrations - with their exuberant use of color and motion - were very deserving of the Caldecott Honor they received in 1999. I appreciated the fact that Ellington discovered he was wrong about the piano - that it could be used in other ways, and to express other styles - because I am someone who listens to a very eclectic mixture of music (everything from Tuvan throat singing to Schubert's lieder), and think that sometimes people fall into the trap of thinking that music can only sound a certain way, or that various styles are mutually exclusive. All in all, a very engaging book, one I recommend to young music lovers and/or biography readers, although I think my friend Lisa is right, that it would have benefited from the inclusion of some actual music (a CD, perhaps?). show less

I really enjoyed this book! The illustrations were filled with colors and contained amazing detail. In my art education course, we are learning about layering colors and removing parts of the tops layers to add texture. I believe the illustrator used a similar technique. The picture seem to have streaks in them that only add to the detail of the illustrations.The language was extremely descriptive, especially when talking about the sounds of each instrument in the orchestra. The story was well paced and organized and spoke about all the aspects that made Duke who he was, including a few of his bandmates, the area in which he grew up, and his parents. The message in this book is to keep working hard until you reach your goal because the show more reward is great. show less

Top 100 Pick because:
It's all around magic. I love every bit of this book. From the stunning brightly colored scratchboard style, to the musicality of the text. The Pinkneys make the Duke come alive. I agree with a review from Booklist stating " Text and art work in perfect harmony here, each creating additional layers of meaning that wouldn't have been possible without the presence of the other. And best of all, the joy in Ellington's music, and the joy his musicians felt in playing it, is apparent on every page." Duke Ellington has flavor and I heard music when I read it. And it makes me want to share that music! Brian Pinkney's illustrative style is also one of my favorites for picture books. His style is colorful, lively, powerful, show more and conveys a message beyond the story being told. show less

The book follows Duke Ellington from the time he was a young boy up until the height of his career when he played at the Carnegie Hall in New York City. The story shows how he initially was not very motivated or fond of the idea of or being active in piano playing or music. However, once he became exposed to it later in life, something sparked within him which helped to give him the drive to pursue a successful music career. He started off with a small group of musicians that eventually turned into a twelve man orchestra. Ellington’s success not only came from his moving, eclectic music, but also from the internal passion and love of his craft.

I loved the content of the book. I think that the positive message it sends about being show more open to new things and to stay genuine to oneself about the path they are taking in life are very inspiring things for young people to read about.

I do think that the greatest value of the book is the combination of imagery and text. I think that the Pinkneys collaborated incredibly well to create and convey a particular story that held historical significance. The illustrations carry their own weight and may stand alone, as expressive, “jazzy,” stylistic pictures which capture the essence of the culture. The writing, too could stand alone since it conveys a certain time and “norm” of the time (speech wise), but I think it is supported and pushed further by the paintings. show less

This books details the musical life of Duke Ellington. This jazzy read takes you all the way back to his childhood and lets you know how he got started with piano and became “The Piano Prince.” I thought it was very interesting how he was not interested in the piano when he was younger. The text was great too. The style was very original--smooth, jazzy, rhythmic.

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra provided wonderful insight into this most influential man who is often hailed as the "King of the Keys". I enjoyed this multi-award winning book for three reasons: the writing, the illustrations and the subject.
Andrea Davis Pinkney's lively jargon conveys a rhythm and style that captures Ellington's time period. When describing Duke at nineteen she writes, "He had fine-as-pie looks and flashy threads". The use of colloquial slang truly transports the reader to another era. The era of Duke Ellington's musical supremacy.
Brian Pinkney's illustrations swings and sways in a reflection of Ellington's music. His vivid, stunning pictures perfectly accompany the text, all the while claiming a show more vital aspect of their own in this jovial biography.
The subject of Duke Ellington is incredibly intriguing to me. I am an avid jazz admirer. This book follows Duke from his early years to his famous concert at New York's Carnegie Hall. The text provided me with previously unknown facts, such as: Duke was only interested in playing baseball not piano.
Ultimately, this is a fascinating book about a fascinating subject. show less