DUKE ELLINGTON

ELLINGTON, Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ (1899-1974).

Five concert programmes and a souvenir menu signed by Duke Ellington, with a souvenir programme for the second Esquire Jazz Awards, 1940s to 1970s, comprising: Duke Ellington and his Orchestra at the Palais de Chaillot, 12-16 April 1950, signed and inscribed in blue ballpoint pen by Ellington on the front cover ‘To my pretty little friend Mimi, good luck, Duke Ellington. Provenance: Maria Therese “Mimi” Faelens (Belgian music critic and journalist); British Tour in association with Melody Maker, 1971, signed in blue ballpoint pen by Ellington at his portrait photograph, additionally signed by seven members of the band; Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra, 1945, signed in black ink on the front cover by Duke Ellington, additionally signed by six members of the band including saxophonists Johnny Hodges and Otto Hardwicke; a souvenir tour programme for ‘The Biggest Show of ‘51’ tour of the US and Canada, 21 September – 28 November 1951, signed in black and turquoise ink at their centre page spread by Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole, additionally signed in pencil on her portrait page by singer Sarah Vaughan, and further inscribed ‘Love You Madly, Duke Ellington’ on his portrait page. Both Cole and Vaughan fronted the Ellington band during the two hour show; a souvenir tour programme for the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s 1963 UK tour presented by Harold Davison and Norman Granz, twice signed in blue ballpoint pen on the first page to Geoffrey and Robin ‘Good luck, Duke Ellington’; a souvenir menu for the Hurricane Club, New York, with stylish printed cover caricature by Boy ten Hove, dating to Duke's six-month engagement at the club in 1943, signed in black ink by Duke Ellington; and a souvenir programme for Esquire’s 1945 ‘All-American Jazz Concert’ - the second Esquire Jazz Awards, 17 January 1945, the main concert in Los Angeles starring Duke Ellington, with a loosely inserted running order for the LA concert. As recalled by Ellington, the awards were given out by Hollywood personalities: ‘Billy Strayhorn received his from Lena Horne; mine was presented by Lionel Barrymore’. Alkyer, Downbeat: The Great Jazz Interviews, November 1952. Provenance: The Norman R. Saks Collection.