Duke Ellington'sSophisticated Ladies

Extras & Insights

What good is melody
What good is music
If it ain't possessin' something sweet?
It ain't the music
It ain't the melody
There's something else
That makes the tune complete

– "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing"

From the Wings

Maurice Hines: I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter
Explore the dynamic career of performer, choreographer and director Maurice Hines.

Spotlight On…

All Hail the Duke
Delve into the life and career of the acclaimed father of jazz, Duke Ellington.
It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
Can't get enough of the Duke? Check out these videos ofthe Ellington Orchestra - as well as other performers - playing the Duke's classic songs.
Washington's Black Broadway
Learn about how the U Street Corridor and the Lincoln Theatre served as the precursors to the Harlem Renaissance.
Echoes of Harlem
Travel through time to witness the movement that changed the Duke's career.
The Roaring Twenties
Fun facts about the razzle dazzle era.
Sophisticated Ladies: Women of the 1920's
Suffragettes, flappers, and jazz queens who revolutionized a woman's role in society.
My Love for You I Bring/On Account o' You Can Sing
Check out videos of musical giants performing scat singing.
Rockin' and Rhythm: A Dance Dictionary
You'll be 'bouncing' in no time with this interactive guide to dance styles featured in Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies.

Extras & Insights is funded, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.