A standout amongst the most prominent supporters of the racial refinement of jazz music was African-American jazz artist Duke Ellington. He intentionally coordinated spirituals and racial influences in his music and referenced to African-American history and society in a number of his tunes. While doing this, Ellington deliberately endorsed the idea that jazz music was African-American. Duke Ellington insisted that the music he played was distinctly African-American. He expressed his conviction of this fact by