Duke Ellington & Orchestra, Live in Paris

At his peak, Duke Ellington was a musical God, a debonair genius who could squeeze just the right amount of emotion out of all his notes and convert the complex and intricate into something accessible and adored by almost all listeners. He was also one of the first African-American superstars of the Twentieth Century and carried himself with grace and charm, a role model at a time when society tried its best to reduce and control the achievements of black musicians.