Conversation so far:
What was his first gig?
They played at rent-house parties for income.
Where was this?
Harlem.
How long did he play in Harlem?
After a few months, the young musicians returned to Washington, D.C., feeling discouraged.
What did he do in Washington D.C.?
CANNOTANSWER.
Was he successful?
In June 1923, a gig in Atlantic City, New Jersey, led to a play date at the prestigious Exclusive Club in Harlem.

Question: Did he have a band?
Self-contained rewrite: Did Duke Ellington have a band?