Page "Duke Ellington" Paragraph 14

Ellington made eight records in 1924, receiving composing credit on three including Choo Choo.

In 1925, Ellington contributed four songs to Chocolate Kiddies, an all-African-American revue which introduced European audiences to African-American styles and performers.

" Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra " grew to a ten-piece organization ; they developed their own sound by displaying the non-traditional expression of Ellington ’ s arrangements, the street rhythms of Harlem, and the exotic-sounding trombone growls and wah-wahs, high-squealing trumpets, and sultry saxophone blues licks of the band members.

For a short time soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet played with the group, imparting his propulsive swing and superior musicianship to the young band members.

In 1927, King Oliver turned down a regular booking for his group as the house band at Harlem's Cotton Club ; the offer passed to Ellington.

With a weekly radio broadcast, famous white clientele nightly poured in to see them.