Black History Month: Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis

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Scott Joplin

Years Lived: 1868-1917
Period: Modern (Ragtime)
Country: United States

Scott Joplin, called The King of Ragtime, was an American composer who was most famous for writing Ragtime style music including The Entertainer (heard here on a piano roll recording of Scott Joplin performing) and The Maple Leaf Rag. 

There is some disagreement on when and where Scott Joplin was born, but scholars agree that he was born in either 1867 or 1868, most likely in Texas. His father was a freed slave and his mother was born free in the United States. They moved to Texarkana (a city on the Texas/Arkansas border) when he was a young teenager and he began to take piano lessons there.  

Joplin studied music at George R. Smith College for Negroes, and went on to compose in the Midwest and even New York City's Tin Pan Alley—a region in New York City where many of the music publishers and songwriters of the time worked. 

Scott Joplin also taught many students, some of whom turned out to be big names in the ragtime world as well. Joplin wrote and self-published a book, The School of Ragtime which included six exercises and explained how to correctly perform the unique ragtime style that made his music so popular. 

Overall, Scott Joplin wrote over 35 ragtime works, two operas, many songs, and even a piano concerto! A full production of Joplin's second opera Treemonisha, was not performed until 1972. In 1976 almost 60 years after his death, Joplin received a Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music.
 
Joplin's music has been heard in many movies, television shows, and commercials, including The Simpsons, Dr. Who, M*A*S*H, The Muppet Show, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Sting (which made The Entertainer famous). In 1977, a film—titled Scott Joplin—was made about Joplin's life. 

This Classics for Kids podcast about Scott Joplin includes samples of eight of his pieces. 

Duke Ellington

Years Lived: 1899-1974
Period: Modern (Jazz)
Country: United States
 
Duke Ellington was an American bandleader from the 1920s until his death in the 1970s. He is famous for tunes such as, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), Mood Indigo, and In a Sentimental Mood.

Born in Washington, DC in 1899, Edward Kennedy Ellington would later earn the nickname "Duke" for his dapper style and cool mannerisms which resembled a nobleman. Raised in a musical family—his parents were both pianists—Ellington started learning piano at the age of 7 and was playing professionally by the time he was 17. 

In 1923 Ellington moved to New York City and started performing with a six piece band that eventually grew into the 14 piece orchestra for which he became famous. With this band he recorded hundreds of songs, toured Europe twice, and performed at the White House. 

Ellington was extremely important in the development of Jazz, writing many of the classic tunes that are still performed. His orchestra was world famous and laid the framework for the standard jazz ensemble still used to this day.
 
In this YouTube video, Melissa Escobar reads Duke Ellington, a Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor-winning picture book by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, while Ellington's music is heard in the background. This newsreel style video from Book Boys News visits some places where Ellington performed and also shows Ellington's piano at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

This short Classics for Kids article tells more about Ellington and so does this Kiddle article about Ellington which also includes pictures.

Wynton Marsalis

Years Lived: b. 1961
Period: Modern (Jazz)
Country: United States

Wynton Marsalis is an American trumpet player, composer, author, and bandleader. He is known for composing a wide variety of works including symphonies, big band tunes, and chamber music. 

Born in New Orleans, Marsalis is the second of six sons. Three of his siblings, especially his brother Branford, are also accomplished jazz musicians. Marsalis' father, Ellis, was a pianist and music teacher. 
 
Marsalis received his first trumpet at the age of 6 from famous jazz trumpeter Al Hirt but didn't formally study trumpet until age 12. After winning a music contest at 14, he performed a Haydn trumpet concerto with the New Orleans Philharmonic. Then, at 17, he became the youngest musician admitted to Tanglewood Music Center. He went on to study at Julliard at 18, where his intention was to study classical music. However, Marsalis developed a love for jazz after performing and touring as a member Art Blakely's big band, and dropped out of Julliard. 

Marsalis didn't abandon his classical roots and has recorded 10 classical albums including the works of Bach, Mozart, Hummel, and others. He is equally at home on the classical and jazz stage. 

Marsalis has composed countless works and has been recorded on over 100 albums. He is an advocate in his community—contributing to scholarships for students in need, helping cover medical bills for those who can't afford them, and even organizing a relief concert after hurricane Katrina which raised over $3 million for musicians and artists impacted by the devastating storm.

Marsalis has received many awards and much recognition. In 1983, at the age of 22, Marsalis became the first musician to win Grammy awards for both classical and jazz recordings in the same year. He won in both categories again the following year. In fact, Marsalis has won nine Grammy awards. He was the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music (1997) and he was also awarded the National Medal of Arts, the National Humanities Medal and has been named an NEA Jazz Master. Marsalis has received honorary degrees from over 30 universities and colleges. See the full list of Marsalis' awards and accolades on his website. 
 
In this video, Marsalis surprises kids and plays some jazzed up versions of Old MacDonald and the Itsy Bitsy Spider and in this video from 1987, Marsalis joins Muppets, and children on Sesame Street, to add music to a story they make up.

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