D. C. Elongation’s parents James and Daisy actively supported his educational development. Duke had his first Plano lesson at the age of seven or eight; this did not fancy him too much. At this time he was Interested In baseball, which brought his first Job as a peanut salesman at the Washington Senator’s games. This helped Duke overcome stage fright, which was of use for the future to come. With his piano lessons fading in the past, he showed interest in the art. As a result he attended Armstrong Manual
Training School to study commercial art instead of attending and academics-oriented school. As time went by Duke began to listen and seek out pianists in Washington, and in summers while he would vacation with his mother in Philadelphia and Atlantic City he would also find deferent artist. On one of these vacations Duke met Harvey Brooks in Suburb Park. Duke later sought out Harvey In Philadelphia and spend time with him. Harvey Brooks taught Duke many tricks and shortcuts on the piano, In doing so Harvey Brooks Ignited an Inner passion In Duke for music.
Dukes first real connections were with Oliver “Doc” Parry and Louis Brown, they taught Longtime to read music and helped him improve his overall piano skills. Duke then started getting jobs at cafes and clubs throughout Washington’s streets. As a result of these happenings Duke decided to pursue his love for music and dropped out of school three months shy of graduating for a professional music career. In doing this he formed his own group in 1917, The Duke’s Serenades. In the following years Longtime made three large steps to independence. First, he moved out of his parents house and into a house he had purchased.
Second, he became his own booking agent for the band. Finally Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 1 1, 1919, Mercer Kennedy Longtime was born. A few years later Duke and his new family moved to New York, where he was already a popular muscular from radio broadcasts. Around this time Dukes renamed band “The Washington’s” established themselves well and were playing at all the well-known exclusive clubs. Later signing an agreement Irving Mills to produce and publish Elongation’s music. Many recording company’s said Duke’s band was one of the most sought after bands in America.
Duke Longtime and his band went on to play all over from New York to as far as Cairo, and London playing with the best of the best in Jazz history. Before Passing in 1974 he wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions that will go on to be remembered. “The Jazz Biography” by Duke Longtime is my chosen CD. Song number one is Rocking’ In Rhythm Which has Duke Longtime on piano Clark Terry, Willie cook, Ray Nuance, Cat Anderson all on Trumpets. Quintet Jackson, Jaunt Tizzy, Bruit Woodman, on trombones Hilton Jefferson, Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Proper, Paul Gonzales, Harry
Carney on saxophone and Wendell Marshall on bass and Lie Balloons on drums. These are the same artist for Flamingo and Deep Two of the other songs I am doing. Herein Jones, Roll Ericson, Cat Anderson on trumpets; Lawrence Brown Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors on trombones; Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Proper, Pack Gonzales, Harry Carney on sax; Major Holey on bass and Sam Woodward on drums. The artist are the same for my last some The Hawk Talks. All of Dukes works have a hip sound to them in give me further interest in new musicians.