Final Chorus: Duke Ellington Moves Into Public School Systems

Duke Ellington and the Cotton Club Orchestra, 1927

A novel for young readers, Riding on Duke’s Train, has been adopted by the Bridgeport, Conn., public school system. And other cities’ school systems—New York, Boston, Los Angeles, et al.—have asked to see the galleys. I’ve had young adult novels published but have never seen such an immediate national response.

I first cited this novel and its author, Mick Carlon, in the June 2010 Final Chorus. I’d gotten to know this longtime teacher of English and journalism for the Barnstable (Mass.) Intermediate School. He often plays jazz recordings in class and introduces students to the lives of the musicians. It is, after all, a vital part of our culture.