It struck me a moment ago that Duke Ellington had died at my present age of 75. I know that several great ones listened to nothing else in their last year or so. Gil Evans comes to mind. Miles Davis, for whom Evans had written arrangements at the highest level (Miles Ahead, Birth Of The Cool, Porgy & Bess, Sketches Of Spain, Summer Nights) said that on a certain day all musicians should get down on their knees and thank Duke Ellington.