A Slice of Queenie Pie

Here are screen shots from a recent lot on eBay for pages from the script of Duke Ellington's opera Queenie Pie. This was one of the final  projects Ellington was working on at the time of his death. Its composition is intertwined with other projects for musical theatre throughout his life which will be explored in a second post.There is more about a 2009 performance of there work at the University of Texas here.

Duke Ellington's QUEENIE PIE - George C. Wolfe / Birkenhead / Peress

Duke Ellington's QUEENIE PIE - (A Jazz Operatta in the Key of Make Believe)

By: Wolfe. George C. / Music and Original Story by Duke Ellington

3-hole punched, with ties at ends. 

Original printed typescript - unpublished script by George C. Wolfe. Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. Music Development and Adaptation by Maurice Peress. Production Consultant Mercer Ellington. 

The character Queenie Pie is loosely based on Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919), a Harlem beautician who invented a preparation to straighten hair, and who is cited by the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to become a millionaire through her own achievements.

Elks' Parade...

A recent lot in the virtual auction houses...

DUKE ELLINGTON

2/22/1972

1 page concert contract & correspondence

Rare piece of jazz history!

You are bidding on a 1 page concert contract and correspondence sent out by the Duke Ellington organization. This particular document references the Duke Ellington concert that was scheduled for February 22, 1972 in Corvallis, Oregon.

The contract is the white copy and has original signatures in black ink. The signatures are of the employer and a representative of Duke Ellington.

There has been no attempt to authenticate these signatures and are not guaranteed to be authentic. 

I am NOT an autograph collector or expert and encourage buyers to research these signatures on their own.

Most artist give their managers/agents power of attorney to sign contracts and generally are not involved in the union/paperwork operations. As such, I am pricing these contracts accordingly and assuming they are not signed by the actual artist.