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Duke Ellington: Suites in a Hotel Suite

Max Jones, Melody Maker, 18 February 1967

DUKE ELLINGTON is a musician who composes tirelessly in his own way and in his own time — which means according to the circumstances he finds himself in, and often late into the night. From my observations, stretching over nineteen years with large intervals between visits, of course, I should say he works most happily at a piano in his hotel suite with one or more occasional talking partners. In my experience, the most prolonged spells have taken place in the early morning hours, but intimates say the hour doesn't matter.

Total word count of piece: 1031

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