(FORTUNE Magazine) – That noise you hear is the sound of the chairs being put in order for next year's celebration of Duke Ellington's centenary. Composer, songwriter (there is a distinction), bandleader, instrumentalist--in each of his avatars, Ellington was our one true musical genius.

You, of course, know all that. What you might not know is where to begin to savor the mammoth Ellington catalog. You could dip in virtually anywhere and find spun gold: The late '20s "jungle music" (try The Okeh Ellington); the early-'40s epics (any of the Carnegie Hall Concerts); the mid-'50s exclamations (especially the thrilling live album At Newport); the small group recordings, like Side by Side, featuring Johnny Hodges.

Then there's the easy way: Head for the Duke's greatest period (the late '30s and early '40s), come in tight on his very best lineup (The Blanton-Webster Band, RCA, three terrific disks), and then go straight to "Koko"--the finest three minutes in all of American music. And then...well, your life may just never be the same.

--Daniel Okrent