The backbone of film was Charlie Chaplan. The source of modern artistic ingenuity was Vincent Van Gogh.

And at the core of cool was Duke Ellington.

Redefining America’s native genres of music such as the blues, ragtime and jazz, Ellington created ideas that gave way to a new approach to form, harmony and melody.

Throughout his career, he wrote music for the ballroom, the comedy stage, the nightclub, the movie house, the theater, the concert hall and the cathedral.

“[Ellington] is undisputedly the greatest American composer,” said Ryan Kisor, second chair trumpeter for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. “It’s pretty much an undisputed fact. He wrote over 2,000 songs. We’ve always played a lot of ‘Duke’ here at Lincoln Center, no matter what the concert is.”

Ellington’s achievements have been so significant to prompt the nation’s hottest jazz band, to honor the 100th anniversary of his birth with a yearlong party.

The 15-member Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, led by accomplished jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, is celebrating Ellington’s contributions to the jazz scene with a 36-city tour of the United States.

During the band’s “America in Rhythm & Tune” tour, members of the group have performed concerts packed full with Ellington tunes.

They have also made themselves available for master classes and special demonstrations in the cities where they play.

“We have ‘Jazz for young people’ concerts,” Kisor said. “Or sometimes students will just come to watch the sound check to get a chance to see what we do.”

Jessie Tampio, public relations assistant for “Jazz at Lincoln Center,” said one of the main goals of this spring tour is to push Ellington’s significance in the American culture.

“[The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra] is really committed to building an educated audience for the future,” Tampio said.

Another way the Lincoln Center is reaching younger audiences is with the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival.

The national competition is open to any high school band that is brave enough to be judged by pedestals in the jazz community, including Marsalis himself.

“It’s a national competition where [the Center] sends out six transcriptions of Ellington’s songs, free of charge to anyone who wants them,” Kisor said. “The bands enter the competition by sending in a tape. Then, [the Center] takes 20 finalists and they come to New York City to compete in the competition.”

Among other birthday paraphernalia is a book titled, “Jump for Joy,” which includes essays examining Ellington’s music and persona, an essay on jazz by Ellington himself and interviews with Marsalis, conducted by Robert G. O’Meally.

A PBS “Great Performances” piece was also filmed to commemorate the celebration.

“They set it up special for [the performance] and invited dancers there,” Kisor remembered. “It wasn’t like a regular gig.”

The event was such a “great performance,” that it was recorded to make a CD titled, “Live in Swing City – Swingin’ with Duke.” The Ellington performance will be aired on PBS on May 12.

Although the jazz orchestra has been celebrating Ellington at sporadic intervals throughout the year, the actual day of Ellington’s birth is Apr. 29. On that day, the jazz orchestra will be pulling out the stops.

“We’re having a birthday party in New York,” Kisor said. “We’re going to play at the A-Train stop. That’s also the first day of the ‘Essentially Ellington’ competition.”

Until then, the jazz orchestra will be traveling the country, spreading the name of Ellington and the worthiness of jazz to the masses.

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performs at Stephens Auditorium at 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $16, $13, $10 for students and $32, $26, $20 general admission.