The Wireless Ellington

The 25th International Duke Ellington Study Group Conference will be taking place at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 25th to 27th May, 2018.

It has been organised jointly by Birmingham City University and the Conservatoire. One of the prime movers in bringing the conference about is Tim Wall, Professor of Radio and Popular Music Studies, Birmingham School of Media, BCU.

Professor Wall has written a blog for several years now, detailing some aspects of his research. The blog can be accessed here, at Wall of Sound.

Several of the entries are on Duke Ellington and aspects of his work on radio, in particular. They are fascinating and can be read at the following links:

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra live on the BBC June 1933


Duke Ellington band on BBC Radio 14th June 1933 8:00 pm

Duke Ellington's British Diary, 1933

Duke Ellington on WHN 1927-29: 'Serving the masses, not the classes'

Exploring and understanding jazz and British radio in the 1930s

Coleman Hawkins and David Murray, and the idea of the progressive musician