Editing Duke Ellington (section)

===Later 1930s===
From 1936, Ellington began to make recordings with smaller groups (sextets, octets, and nonets) drawn from his then-15-man orchestra.{{sfn|page=91|Brothers|2018}} He composed pieces intended to feature a specific instrumentalist, such as "Jeep's Blues" for [[Johnny Hodges]], "Yearning for Love" for [[Lawrence Brown (jazz trombonist)|Lawrence Brown]], "Trumpet in Spades" for [[Rex Stewart]], "[[Echoes of Harlem]]" for [[Cootie Williams]] and "Clarinet Lament" for [[Barney Bigard]].{{sfn|page=88|Brothers|2018}} In 1937, Ellington returned to the Cotton Club, which had relocated to the mid-town [[Theater District, Manhattan|Theater District]]. In the summer of that year, his father died, and due to many expenses, Ellington's finances were tight. However, his situation improved in the following years.

After leaving agent Irving Mills, he signed on with the [[William Morris Agency]]. Mills, though, continued to record Ellington. After only a year, his Master and Variety labels (the small groups had recorded for the latter) collapsed in late 1937. Mills placed Ellington back on Brunswick and those small group units on Vocalion through to 1940. Well-known sides continued to be recorded, "[[Caravan (1937 song)|Caravan]]" in 1937, and "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" the following year.

[[File:Duke Ellington in ons land.ogv|thumb|Ellington in 1939]]
[[Billy Strayhorn]], originally hired as a lyricist, began his association with Ellington in 1939.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billystrayhorn.com/biography.htm |title=William Thomas Strayhorn |editor-last=Stone |editor-first=Sonjia |year=1983 |work=Billy Strayhorn Songs |publisher=University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill |access-date=July 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622191412/http://www.billystrayhorn.com/biography.htm |archive-date=June 22, 2009 }}</ref> Nicknamed "Sweet Pea" for his mild manner, Strayhorn soon became a vital member of the Ellington organization. Ellington showed great fondness for Strayhorn and never failed to speak glowingly of the man and their collaborative working relationship, "my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine".<ref>{{Harvnb|Ellington|1976|p=156}}.</ref> Strayhorn, with his training in classical music, not only contributed his original lyrics and music but also arranged and polished many of Ellington's works, becoming a second Ellington or "Duke's doppelgänger". It was not uncommon for Strayhorn to fill in for Duke, whether in conducting or rehearsing the band, playing the piano, on stage, and in the recording studio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article_print.php?id=31974 |title=Duke Ellington: Symphony of the Body and Soul |author=d'Gama Rose, Raul|publisher=Allaboutjazz.com |access-date=December 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707041536/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article_print.php?id=31974 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 }}</ref> The decade ended with a very successful European tour in 1939 just as World War II loomed in Europe.