One of the most insightful pieces on Duke Ellington's music is an essay written by Gene Lees for his Jazzletter - which was mailed out to subscribers from the early eighties.
In the essay, under the heading Reflections on Duke, Lees shows a certain ambivalence towards both Ellington and his work. What he has to say is perceptive and fair, contributing much to our understanding and appreciation of Ellington's achievements and saying more in the length of a single essay than many biographers writing books have achieved.
The piece may be found here:
And in what is a marvellous service to admirers of music, Donald Clarke and his Music Box website has made available the entire archive of the Jazzletter which may be accessed here.
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