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The Roundtable

How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie transformed America

By Joe Donahue

Published October 31, 2024 at 11:22 AM EDT

Book cover for "The Jazzmen" by Larry Tye

Larry Tye ("Satchel," "Bobby Kennedy") has penned a portrait of the longtime kings of jazz—Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie—who, born within a few years of one another, overcame racist exclusion and violence to become the most popular entertainers on the planet. The book is "The Jazzmen."

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The Roundtable Jazz music Duke Ellington louis armstrong count basie

Joe Donahue

Joe talks to people on the radio for a living. In addition to countless impressive human "gets" - he has talked to a lot of Muppets. Joe grew up in Philadelphia, has been on the area airwaves for more than 25 years and currently lives in Washington County, NY with his wife, Kelly, and their dog, Brady. And yes, he reads every single book.

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