The collection consists of material compiled by Joe Morgen as an employee of Duke Ellington from 1957 to 1979. This includes correspondence, some of Morgen=s personal financial records, photographs, magazine articles, and newspaper clippings about Ellington. In addition there are public relations and biographical sketches about Ellington, a 35mm film of Ellington at the White House when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Nixon, and an acetate reference recording of AAfro-Bossa.@ There are also materials not related to Ellington that include miscellaneous sheet music from the AJudy Garland Show,@ documents for the 1960s program AYouth Wants to Know,@ some 45 rpm commercial and test sound recordings of Mary Lou Williams performing some of her music, broadsides of various jazz musicians printed on black cloth, and other unidentified documents.
John Gensel Collection of Duke Ellington Materials, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Rev. John Garcia Gensel, a Lutheran minister at St. Peter's church in New York City, 1956-1993, was a close confidant and spiritual presence within the New York jazz community. Conducting evening jazz vespers from 1965 until 1993, Gensel was able to develop close ties with New York's jazz musicians and their families. He believed that jazz was the best music for worship because it spoke to the existential nature of the person playing it. Along with conducting his jazz vespers, Gensel also officiated at weddings, baptisms, and funerals for much of the jazz community, including those of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie. Duke Ellington, a close friend and confidant, dedicated part of his Second Sacred Concert, The Shepard (Who Watches Over the Night Flock) to Gensel.
Joe Morgen, described as a fast talking Broadway-beat publicist, was hired by Ellington in 1957 to manage his public relations. Although he was disliked by Billy Strayhorn and perceived by others as graceless and aggressive, Ellington nonetheless overlooked Morgen's weaknesses. In his memoir Music Is My Mistress Ellington wrote, "I think he does a great job. He is an extraordinary individual, and I always say he is a man who doesn't have the tiniest facet of the devious in his makeup". Regardless of his reputation, Morgen proved highly adept at regaining media attention for Duke Ellington's music through features published in publications such as Look, the New York Times, and Newsweek. Phoebe Jacobs, head of promotion for the Basin Street Nightclub, said, "Joe Morgen made all of that happen. He sold everybody on Ellington." Morgen remained loyal to Ellington long after his death by working with his foundation to produce a benefit show and tribute to Duke to help raise money for the Ellington Cancer Foundation.
Fuller Up: The Dead Musicians Directory. Rev. John Gensel, 80, Pastor of Jazz Community' www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/7219/revjohngensel.html.
Ellington, Edward Kennedy Duke. Music is My Mistress. New York: Double Day, 1978. 435. Hajdu, David. Lush Life, A Biography of Billy Strayhorn. New York: Farrar, Strauss,& Giroux, 1996. 166-169.
Collection processed by Will Crafton, undated.
Collection is open for research.
The collection is organized into eleven series:
Series 1: Joe Morgen Correspondence and Personal Papers
Series 2: Photographs, Slides, and Negatives
Series 3: Judy Garland Show Sheet Music
Series 4: Ellington Materials
Series 5: Sound Recordings
Series 6: Biographical and Press Related Materials
Series 7: Programs, Invitations, and Flyers
Series 8: Publications
Series 9: Magazine and Newspaper Clippings
Series 10: Film Reel, Duke Ellington at the White House
Series 11: Miscellaneous
The collection was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1993 by John Gensel. The collection was turned over to the Archives Center in October 2000, with the Deed of Gift being signed in January 2001 by Gensel's widow. It is unknown clear how the materials came into the possession of Father Gensel from Joe Morgen.
Eight folders of Joe Morgen's personal and business correspondence, 1954-1979. The correspondence is arranged chronologically by date. Much of the correspondence directly relates to Morgen's public relations work for Ellington. Also included is a copy of a contract signed between Morgen and Evelyn Tripp in 1948, Morgen's hotel bills from the Hotel Capitol where he stayed in the 1950s, phone bills (1976-1978), and his telephone and address book.
Nine folders containing undated and unidentified photographs, slides and negatives of Duke Ellington and band members that appear to document performances and activities from the 1960s to the 1970s. The folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Nine oversized folders containing sheet music from the 1963-1964 Judy Garland television show. With the exception of Ole' Man River, each folder contains a full score to each song to the Judy Garland Show. The provenance of this music is unclear.
Four folders of miscellaneous material, dating from the 1950s through the 1970s, directly related to Duke Ellington's writings on the Sacred Concerts and his speech before the NAACP in 1957.
Four 33.3 rpm and five 45 rpm sound recordings. Included herein is an undated acetate reference recording of Duke Ellington's Afro-Bossa, one dated and four undated Mary Lou Williams 45rpm commercial releases and test pressing, an undated "Happy Sweets" Edison acetate reference recording of Sweetenings, and an undated Martial Solal commercial recording of Jazz et Cinema. The recordings are arranged alphabetically by performer or title when a performer is unidentified.
Three folders containing press releases about various Ellington performances and events, including governmental releases about his tour of the Middle East in the 1960s. The material is arranged chronologically.
Three folders containing programs, invitations, and flyers spanning from 1963 through 1973 documenting Ellington's performances of his Sacred Concerts and honors received from the White House and Yale University. The material is arranged chronologically. Undated material appears at the end of the series.
Three folders containing articles written about Ellington in various magazines such as Jet and Stereo Review. Also included is the book New York, N.Y. An American Heritage Extra on the History of the Nation's Greatest City, that contains a brief write up about Duke Ellington. The material is arranged chronologically.
Three folders containing mostly undated newspaper and magazine clippings about Duke Ellington. The material is arranged chronologically. Undated material appears at the end of the series.
35 mm color film documenting Duke Ellington receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Nixon at the White House in 1969. The original film in poor condition and unavailable for viewing.
Six folders of unidentified material unrelated to Duke Ellington. This material includes include information about the television program AYouth Wants to Know,@ silk screen prints of popular musicians on black felt, photo copies of unidentified sheet music, and miscellaneous flyers for Margaret Tynes.