Walla Walla, Washington, went wild

Those who have Dr. Stratemann's Duke Ellington Day by Day and Film by Film or Ken Vail's 2 volume Duke's Diary have some idea of the amount of travel Duke and his band engaged in.  

In 1952, the orchestra undertook a marathon jaunt lasting from March 21 to June 10, including about 50 one night stands and a week in Vancouver, British Columbia.  

It's easy to assume the orchestra would hit town, play a concert or dance as a matter of routine, hop back on the bus and move on, not perhaps realizing how much its performances meant to the communities where he performed.  

One such community is Walla Walla.  Walla Walla is a small city in eastern Washington, near the southern border of the state.  Duke Ellington Day was the end of the city's Swing into Spring campaign, which began St. Patrick's Day.

It looks as if the Chamber of Commerce and the local Beta Sigma Phi sorority collaborated to make Ellington's night a huge event.

The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin carried no less than 20 items related to the dance from March 2 to March 31, as well as a review on April 1.  

On March 2, the Union-Bulletin reported a Mrs. Margaret Chadek was appointed project chairman to direct the Beta Sigma Phi participation in the program, and a Mr. Howard Michels would handle the Chamber of Commerce Retailer's part with the assistance of Elizabeth Koch, W.G. Brown and Melva Eskelsen.

The March 12 edition carried news of the Chamber of Commerce's Earlybird breakfast at the Red Apple Cafe.  There, they planned a St. Patrick's Day special sales event, called Green Tag Day, and under the chairmanship of L. G. Pederson, made plans "for activities in connection with Duke Ellington Day."  These plans included special window displays on the day of the dance and the weekend preceding it. The article said Green Tag Day and Duke Ellington Day were part of the city's Salute to Spring program.

On March 16, the paper ran a column announcing "Walla Walla area people will have an opportunity to decide what has kept the Duke popular for the past 30-odd years when he visits the city Duke Ellington Day March 31.  He's scheduled to present dance music and a concert at the Easter Parade in the Armory. "  His appearance is part of Salute to Spring acitivites and is under the directon of Beta Sigma Phi, non-academic sorority" 

The March 23 publicity focused on Louis Bellson, and quoted him as saying he and Strayhorn were working on something special.  It said "The saxophone players are going to hold rosewood plates in their left hands and hit them with bamboo sticks."  Another page reports there was a meeting of the Xi Eta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi where new officers elected. "Mrs. Chadek, general chairman of the Duke Ellington dance in the Armory March 31, reported on the progress of the dance plans.  The affair is being sponsored jointly by retail merchants of the city and Lambda and Xi Eta chapters of the sorority."

The article goes on to say, "Following business, the evening was spent making decorations for the dance...."

At last, on March 26, the paper ran an ad that says "Meet The Duke - Hear The Band In Person..." and "Featuring Louis Bellson, drums, Wilie Smith, alto, Harry Carney, barition sax, Ray Nance and Cat Anderson, trumpets, Juan Tizol, trombone, and the award-winning compositon of THE LEADER!"  On page 7, this edition reported the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce praised the Salute to Spring program, and on page 10 we learn Sweet Music for Shoppers, the Song of Spring contest, and Duke Ellington Day were discussed ath the Chamber of Commerce Early Bird Retailers breakfst meeting at the Red Apple.

Sweet Music for Shoppers is a special sale to be held Saturday and Monday in connection with Duke Ellington Day. On the Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 25 to 30 firms will feature a decorated window in their establishments with a popular song as the theme for the Song of Spring contest.  Shoppers will be given entry blanks and will compete for $50 cash  and $500 in giveaway merchandise by listing the song titles portrayed in the various window displays.  The plan was for the winner to be announced Monday at the Ellington dance/concert.


.  The other   Admission $1.50 for those who must know.