Didrik Schiele:

>Hiya!  what are peoples opinions on Ellington? Is he classical music? If
>not, why not? Which was his best period, cooperating with Louie Armstrong
>or the woodwinders of the 30ies like Bigard and Johny Hodges? Was he a
>better pianist than orchestrator?

I too like Ellington's music.  I've never thought of putting him in one box
or the other.  He was, as he liked to say, "beyond category."

Steve Schwartz