The Washingtonians grew out of a band led by banjoist Elmer Snowden in the early ‘20s; later in the decade it evolved into the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Snowden's band included saxophonist Otto Hardwicke and trumpeter Arthur Whetsol. The group performed in Washington D.C. and Atlantic City before moving to New York in 1923; Ellington, trombonist Charlie Irvis and drummer Sonny Greer came aboard, and Bubber Miley replaced Whetsol (Whetsol would return in 1928 after the instrumentation had been expanded).

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