Conversation so far:
Where did Duke Ellington get his first start?
At first, Duke Ellington played in other ensembles, and in late 1917 formed his first group, The Duke's Serenaders (Colored Syncopators, his telephone directory advertising proclaimed)

Question: Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
Self-contained rewrite: Are there any other interesting aspects about the Duke Ellington article?