Throughout this month I will be recommending seminal autobiographies and biographies from artists from the Jazz world. While I was studying the music, I thought that it would be a very wise use of my time to learn more about the people who helped to create the music. One of the first assignments I gave myself was to read Duke Ellington’s autobiography Music Is My Mistress. The book reads in a very conversationally eloquent style that is fit for a Duke. My recommendation would be to get your hands on a copy and then take a listen to some of the Duke’s catalog (our songs of the day would be a great starting point).

Happy reading!