Product Description
Nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award

Billy Strayhorn (1915-67) was one of the greatest composers in the history of American music, the creator of a body of work that includes such standards as "Take the 'A' Train."Yet all his life Strayhorn was overshadowed by his fri and collaborator Duke Ellington, with whom he worked for three decades as the Ellington Orchestra's ace songwriter and arranger.A "definitive" corrective (USA Today) to decades of patchwork scholarship and journalism about this giant of jazz, Lush Life is a vibrant and absorbing account of the "lush life" Strayhorn and other jazz musicians led in Harlem and Paris.While composing some of the most gorgeous American music of this century, Strayhorn labored under a complex agreement whereby Ellington took the bows for his work; until his life was tragically cut short by cancer and alcohol abuse, the small, shy black composer carried himself with singular style and grace as one of the few jazzmen to be openly homosexual. Lush Life has sparked an enthusiastic revival of interest in Billy Strayhorn's work.It is already acknowledged as a jazz classic.
Amazon.com Review
A 1996 nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award,this perceptive, meticulously researched biography rescues fromobscurity the gifted Billy Strayhorn (1915-67), Duke Ellington'sarranger and composer of many popular Ellington Orchestra tunes,including "Take the `A' Train." Worshipped by jazzaficionados as the creative power behind the Ellington throne,Strayhorn preferred to live quietly while his friend/boss took thebows. In clear prose and with careful attention to nuance, David Hajdudocuments Strayhorn's contributions to the Ellington magic anddelineates an attractive personality who found good in almost everyonehe met. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Exactly what I wanted
Lush Life arrived efficiently and relatively fast, and was in obviously used shape, but nstill good shape; as promised. I have no complaints

A Great Read - So Why Only 3 Stars?
This was an excellent read and it was great to see that somebody finally came out with a biography on Billy Strayhorn. So why the 3 star rating? Well, the author actually attempts to overemphasize Staryhorn's importance to the Ellington band (hard as that is to do).

The author unfortunately tries to paint a picture of Ellington as somebody that didn't appreciate Strayhorn's talent and put his name on Stayhorn's songs and basically didn't do much at all after the arrival of Strayhorn. This, of course, is a complete crock. Ellington wrote the vast majority of his most well known songs before Strayhorn even came into the picture ("Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing", "Rockin' In Rhythm", In A Sentimental Mood", and "Solitude" just to name a few). Are we really supposed to believe that all of a sudden Strayhorn comes and Ellington's compositional skills go down the drain and he relies on Strayhorn for everything thereafter? That's a little too much (actually way too much) to believe.

Also, if Strayhorn was truly all the brains behind the post-1940 Ellington band, then how come Ellington was still writing great works after Strayhorn's death (New Orleans Suite anyone?)? It just doesn't add up.

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were one of the greatest song writing teams of all time. Both were equally important players to the other's success after they joined together and each made his significant contributions. The author is probably a big Strayhorn fan and to make up for the lack of recognition that Strayhorn has received the author actually does a disservice to Strayhorn by overstating his importance to the Ellington band. Strayhorn accomplished so much it's just not necessary to do so.

That being said, the book is still a great source for learning about the life of Billy Strayhorn and who he was and it's great that somebody finally wrote a book on his life.

Extraordinary
The backbone of Duke Ellimgtons music was his association with Billy Strayhorn. Where such genius came from emanates from poverty and rather ordinary family roots. This is a fascinating and beautifully documented story that completes any previous knowledge of the beauty that is Ellingtons music. Strayhorn was obviously an unrecognized genius deserving of notoriety and equal prominence.

a lush story...
one of the most interesting biographies I've ever read. When Billy Strayhorn was growing up in Pittsburgh he met Duke Ellington in the back of the theatre after a concert Duke performed at. He blew Duke away when Billy played the piano for him. Years later Duke would remember him and asked Billy to come out to NYC to see him. When Billy asked for directions Duke would write on a piece of paper, take the A train. While on the A train to Upper Manhattan to see Duke, Billy wrote the music for 'Take the A Train". So it goes the great collaboration between Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn would begin. Always in the background and never given the proper credit for all the music he wrote Billy Strayhorn would live a lush life. Travelling the world and meeting the kings and queens of the jazz world, he could be the life of the party but the applause for Duke Ellington's music would bypass him. Being black and gay back in those days was not acceptable behavior so Billy stayed in the background and Duke kept him. Billy wrote the music and Duke played it, his own personal muse. Billy loved the 3 am hour the best, it was the happiest hour of the day when you're too exhausted to care anymore and numb to everything else. A wonderful book.

very detailed book
i find myself always enjoying Books on People&this is no exception.very well detailed Book on a Important Composer&His Many Demons&Surroundings.I heard a few years back that Will Smith was considering doing the Bio Movie on Billy Strayhorn.it would be really interesting to see how things would come out on the Big screen.this book reflects on Music Talent&whole Life.very well done book. ... Read more

Product Description
Duke Ellington was one of jazz's greatest figures, a composer and bandleader of unparalleled importance and influence. But little attention has been given to his chief musical collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, who created hundreds of compositions and arrangements for his musical partner, and without whom the sound of Ellington's orchestra would have been very different.
Now, in Walter van de Leur's provocative new book, Something To Live For, Billy Strayhorn steps out from Ellington's shadow and into the spotlight. Van de Leur argues that far from being merely a follower of Ellington or his alter ego, Strayhorn brought a radically new and visionary way of writing to the Ellington orchestra. Making extensive use, for the first time, of over 3,000 autograph scores, Van de Leur separates Strayhorn from Ellington, establishes who wrote what, and clearly distinguishes between their distinctive musical styles. "Both Strayhorn's and Ellington's oeuvres," writes Van de Leur, "though historically intertwined, nevertheless form coherent, separate musical entities, especially in terms of harmonic, melodic, and structural design." Indeed, Something to Live For allows us to see the characteristic features of Strayhorn's compositions and arrangements, his "musical fingerprints," and to analyze and evaluate his music on its own terms. The book also makes clear that Strayhorn's contribution to the band was much larger, and more original, than has been previously acknowledged.
Based on a decade of research and offering detailed analyses of over 70 musical examples, Something to Live For casts new light--and will surely arouse intense debate--on two of the most important composers in the history of jazz. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An informative and enlighening document
The book is exactly what I have been looking for in my research of the life and musical contributions of Billy Strayhorn.The author immediately caught my attention with his analogy of Strayhorn's impact on American popular culture.

Now you will know why Billy Strayhorn's music sounds so good
After reading this book you will have a technical understanding of why Billy Strayhorn's music sounds so good and why Strayhorn needs to be recognized as one of the giants of American popular music. After having spent over 10 years performing in depth research and examining over 3,000 manuscripts Walter Van De Leur seperates Billy Strayhorn from Duke Ellington and analyzes how their musical styles differ. The book provides the reader with a technical dissection of a number of Strayhorn's and Ellington's music and gives, from a musicologist's point of view, the uniqueness of Strayhorn's music. Anecdotes about Strayhorn and Ellington are infrequent and instead Van De Leur provides a scholarly examination of one of the most important of American composers. However, Van De Leur can be eloquent in his examination of Strayhorn's work and this belies the love he has for his subject. Analyzing Strayhorn's Day Dream Van De Leur writes " The introspective Day Dream is less radical in its harmonic and melodic design, although chromatic chord relations again play an important role...On beat three this flat supertonic for the targetproper, which now functions as the delay for the dominant E7, for A. Turning this pattern into a sequence, Strayhorn again liberates the music from its tonal gravity..." That last sentence says it all, Billy Strayhorn liberated music from its tonal gravity!

An essential reading in jazz musicology
This book is a landmark is jazz scholarship. The way van de Leur mixes few biographical details, business forces, archival reserach and music analysis helps to better understand the art of Billy Strayhorn as a personal and individual composer and arranger. With a smooth literary style, van de Leur opens to us the gates of an unknown and underrated musical genius, and help us to distinguish the true from the false, the right authorship of compositions and arrangements and the way the Strayhorn musical style changed throught the years; more, it helps to distinguish him from Duke Ellington and to better understand Ellington, too. From;these pages, Strayhorn emerges as a major composer with a distinguished musical personality.
The four appendixes are one the most useful tools in jazz reseraches appeared in last years.
This book is a reference one for any jazz researcher or learned amateur. A masterpiece in scholarship, an enlightning effort in understanding a great musician and an enjoyable reading. A must.

Wonderful!
Ask the average person to name a song by Duke Ellington and if you get a response it's apt to be 'uh, A-Train'. Wrong, since it has long been known that Strayhorn wrote it. But who wrote which parts of 'Black, Brown and Beige'? Unknown generally until now; Strayhorn wrote Beige; Ellington wrote Black and Brown.

All true fans of Duke Ellington know of Billie Strayhorn, but few know anything of his real contributions across half of the Dukes career. This book has gone back to the original manuscripts and studied the handwriting to see who wrote what parts. The results of these studies and massive other research provide a true look at the work of Strayhorn. This is not a biography; 'Lush Life : A Biography of Billy Strayhorn' by David Hajdu is a wonderful companion to this book. This book is musically oriented and has some discussions way over my head; none the less its a welcome addition to my library and one that I read non-stop. There is lots of fine data in apendicies as well.

Superb! Thank you, thank you, Walter Van De Leur.

A MASTERPIECE
There are not enough stars that can adequately rate this book. Van de Leur has given us the first truly thorough analysis of a composer of jazz (although Strayhorn was much more than a jazz composer). You do need some musical knowledge to understand what he is talking about, but his discussion and analyses of Strayhorn's music are clear, concise and well-reasoned. The appendices alone are worth the price of the book, where he lists every scrap of music currently known of Strayhorn's, where it is, when it was recorded, and what was played (in many cases, Ellington only used parts of Strayhorn's arrangements of pop tunes). The sheer amount of work it took to complete this project is startling and awe-inspriring.

For years we wondered what Strayhorn's real role was in the Ellington organization. Now we know without any doubt. Bravo Walter!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Gifted composer, pianist and arranger Billy Strayhorn is best known for his successful collaboration with Duke Ellington lasting nearly three decades. This collection explores his influences, techniques and stylistic traits, explained through musical examples so players can gain a more complete portrait of this essential jazz artist. Analyzes the form, rhythm, melody, harmony and lyrics of: Chelsea Bridge * A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing * Lush Life * Passion Flower * and Take the "A" Train, with piano/vocal arrangements and explorations of each tune's interpretations by famous artists. ... Read more

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Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Albums Arranged by Billy May, Albums Arranged by Billy Strayhorn, Albums Arranged by Bob Thompson, Albums Arranged by Buddy Bregman, Albums Arranged by Claus Ogerman, Albums Arranged by Dave Cavanaugh, Albums Arranged by Don Costa, Albums Arranged by Gerald Wilson, Albums Arranged by Gil Evans, Albums Arranged by Gordon Jenkins, Albums Arranged by Johnny Mandel, Albums Arranged by Marty Paich, Albums Arranged by Neal Hefti, Albums Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Albums Arranged by Quincy Jones, Albums Arranged by Ralph Carmichael, Albums Arranged by Robert Farnon, Albums Arranged by Russell Garcia, Albums Arranged by Vince Mendoza, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Quiet Nights, Love Is the Answer, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook, Back on the Block, L.a. Is My Lady, in the Wee Small Hours, Duets: an American Classic, Memories, Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, Toto Iv, Come Fly With Me, What's New, This Time I'm Swingin'!, Cha Cha de Amor, the Genius of Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook, Love Is the Thing, Strangers in the Night, Trilogy: Past Present Future, Get Happy!, Ella Sings Broadway, the Look of Love, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook, the Nat King Cole Story, Porgy and Bess, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook, My Way, Ella and Basie!, Let's Face the Music, Come Dance With Me!, When I Look in Your Eyes, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two, Swing Easy!, Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, Sinatra at the Sands, Anne Murray / Glen Campbell, Ella Swings Lightly, if You Go, Snowfall: the Tony Bennett Christmas Album, the Movie Song Album, She Shot Me Down, the Swingin' Miss "D", the Complete Porgy and Bess, Songs for Young Lovers, Q's Jook Joint, Where Are You?, Art Pepper + Eleven - Modern Jazz Classics, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, Nice 'n' Easy, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Sinat... ... Read more

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In a world filled with disappointments, where many people have lost any sense of hope and purpose, Billy Strayhorn reminds readers that Jesus Christ is the hope that does not disappoint. And noting that hope and faith go hand in hand, his messages point the way toward a life filled with hope and possibilities through faith in God.

Strayhorn's sermons explore Second Lesson passages from the Revised Common Lectionary (many drawn from Paul's letters) for Pentecost and the weeks immediately following. And Pentecost is an apt focus -- as the church's ""birthday,"" it is the day that the hopes and dreams of Jesus' disciples and followers began to take shape. While pastors will find in these hope-filled pages a jumping-off place for their own sermons, anyone who wants a closer relationship with God will benefit from this inspiring and uplifting volume.

Titles include:
Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered -- Acts 2:1-21
A Hope That Does Not Disappoint -- Romans 5:1-5
Born And Called -- Galatians 1:11-24
Bear One Another's Burdens -- Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Get Your Transfer Here -- Colossians 1:1-14
... and more!

Billy D. Strayhorn is a graduate of Central Methodist College (Fayette, Missouri) and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. He has pastored many congregations in Texas and Missouri, and now serves at First United Methodist Church in Joshua, Texas. Strayhorn's sermons and sermon briefs have been featured in several outlets, including Dynamic Preaching and Preaching magazines as well as the Abingdon Preaching Annual.
... Read more

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This fantastic collection assembles 17 standards written by gifted composer Billy Strayhorn: After All * Chelsea Bridge * Clementine * Day Dream * A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing * Isfahan * Johnny Come Lately * Just a Settin' and a Rockin' * Midriff * My Little Brown Book * Passion Flower * Raincheck * Satin Doll * Something to Live For * Star-Crossed Lovers/Pretty Girl * Take the "A" Train * Valse. Includes photos, a biography and a selected discography. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine), published by Thomson Gale on February 27, 2007. The length of the article is 822 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: He wrote the songs: prolific gay composer Billy Strayhorn--who penned music for Nat King Cole and Duke Ellington--finally gets his due in a new documentary and CD.(MUSIC)
Author: Kurt B. Reighley
Publication: The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 27, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Issue: 980Page: 66(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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Billy Strayhorn was a black, gay man who wrote and arranged much of the music played by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. This biography gives a picture of a vanished culture. ... Read more

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Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: One Night With Blue Note, Lush Life: the Music of Billy Strayhorn, Inner Urge, Page One, Double Rainbow: the Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Kicker, Straight, No Chaser, the Scavenger, Keystone Bop Vol. 2: Friday & Saturday, Four, Tetragon, Our Thing, Keystone Bop: Sunday Night, Live at Memory Lane, in 'n Out, Mode for Joe, So Near, So Far, Power to the People, Big Band, Porgy & Bess. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 60. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: One Night with Blue Note is a 1985 jazz film directed by John Charles Jopson. Record executive Bruce Lundvall relaunched the defunct Blue Note Records label in 1985 under the parent label EMI Manhattan Records. To celebrate, Lundvall and Music Director Michael Cuscuna staged a concert on February 22, 1985 at The Town Hall in New York City, bringing together some of the jazz legends associated with Blue Note over the years as well as some newly signed artists. The concert, featuring more than 30 of the worlds most revered jazz musicians in the form of all-star ensembles, is considered by many to be one of the most important nights in jazz history. The 3 hour-plus event was shot on 16mm film with multiple cameras. Director John Charles Jopson prepared by studying the music from various live recordings, and then carefully plotting camera positions with Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson according to cues made from the sheet music. The film is known for its intimate close-ups of the musicians, showing their subtle signals to each other and acknowledgment of well-played riffs. A four-LP box set One Night with Blue Note Preserved featuring the entire concert was released simultaneously with the film and as separate volumes. Many of the performers have died since this film was made, includi...http://booksllc.net/?id=9079714 ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Elizabeth Keckly, William Few, Billy Strayhorn, Richard B. Fitzgerald, William Hooper, Annie Dillard, Doug Marlette, Lee Smith, Michael Malone, Edmund Fanning, Frances Mayes, Kenneth Lewis Anderson, Shepperd Strudwick, Hal Crowther, Francis Nash, Edmund Strudwick, James Few. Excerpt:Annie Dillard Annie Dillard (born April 30, 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ) is a Pulitzer Prize -winning American author , best known for her narrative nonfiction. She has also published two novels, poetry, essays, literary criticism, and a memoir. Life and career Dillard's memoir An American Childhood described her youth in loving detail. She is the oldest of three daughters, born to affluent parents, Frank and Pam Doak, who raised her in an environment that encouraged humor, creativity, and exploration. Her mother was a non-conformist and incredibly energetic. Her father taught her everything from plumbing to economics to the intricacies of the novel On The Road . Her days were filled with piano and dance classes, rock and bug collecting, and reading books from the public library. But she was not shielded from the dark side of history and human nature, such as the horrors of war in the 20th century, which she often read about. Dillard attended the Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh , which her parents did not attend. She also spent four summers at First Presbyterian Church (FPC) Camp, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania . During her rebellious teenage years, she quit attending church because of the "hypocrisy." When she told her minister of her decision, he gave her a stack of books by C. S. Lewis , which eventually put an end to her rebellion. After her college years, Dillard became, as she says, "spiritually promiscuous," incorporating the ideas of many religious systems into her own religiou... ... Read more

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Chapters: Johnny Hodges, Wellman Braud, Barney Bigard, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson, Billy Strayhorn, Ben Webster, Queen Esther Marrow, Butch Ballard, Gerald Wilson, Oscar Pettiford, James "Bubber" Miley, Paul Gonsalves, Alice Babs, Tricky Sam Nanton, Harry Carney, Herb Jeffries, Ivie Anderson, Al Hibbler, Peter Giger, Mercer Ellington, Juan Tizol, Jimmy Forrest, Cat Anderson, Jimmy Blanton, Elmer Snowden, Ray Nance, Cootie Williams, Murray Mceachern, Britt Woodman, Otto Hardwick, Jimmy Hamilton, Wild Bill Davis, Wilbur de Paris, Victor Gaskin, Russell Procope, Al Killian, Art Baron, Tyree Glenn, Edgar Sampson, Quentin Jackson, Ernie Royal, Jimmy Woode, Sonny Greer, Rex Stewart, Bobby Durham, Hilton Jefferson, Skippy Williams, Lawrence Brown, Aaron Bell, Arthur Whetsol, Hayes Alvis, Rolf Ericson, Willie Smith, Louis Metcalf, Johnny Coles, Kay Davis, Jimmy Harrison, Norris Turney, Major Holley, Lou Blackburn, Billy Taylor, Money Johnson, Joya Sherrill, Rick Henderson, Dick Vance, Nelson Williams, Al Sears, Fred Guy, Charlie Irvis, Taft Jordan, Sam Woodyard, Freddie Jenkins, Shorty Baker, Buster Cooper, Geezil Minerve, Eddie Preston, Willie Cook, Wendell Marshall, Herbie Jones, Harold Ashby, Junior Raglin, Betty Roché. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 238. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Clark Terry (born December 14, 1920) is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, and NEA Jazz Masters inductee. He has played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948 to 1951), Duke Ellington (1951 to 1959), and Quincy Jones (1960). He has also performed and recorded regularly both as a leader and sideman. In all, his career in jazz spans more than sixty years. Terry was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Vashon High School there and began his pro...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=267696 ... Read more

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Chapters: Oscar Peterson, Sun Ra, Keith Jarrett, Horace Silver, André Previn, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Strayhorn, Marc Van Roon, Marian Mcpartland, Mccoy Tyner, Hampton Hawes, Randy Weston, Billy Taylor, Barry Harris, Jay Mcshann, Sonny Clark, Adam Makowicz, Tommy Flanagan, Joe Chambers, Roland Hanna, Jimmy Rowles, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Kenny Barron, Joe Gilman, Buddy Johnson, Lucian Ban, Markus Burger, Mulgrew Miller, Bob Brookmeyer, Yaron Herman, Teddy Wilson, Jaki Byard, Jean-Michel Pilc, Bobby Timmons, Kenny Drew, Ray Bryant, Mathias Claus, Eric Watson, John Proulx, Noel Kelehan, Jimmy Amadie, Stefano Battaglia. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 229. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, legal name Le Sony'r Ra; May 22, 1914 May 30, 1993) was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. "Of all the jazz musicians, Sun Ra was probably the most controversial," critic Scott Yanow said, due to Sun Ra's eclectic music and unorthodox lifestyle. Claiming that he was of the "Angel Race" and not from Earth, but from Saturn, Sun Ra developed a complex persona of "cosmic" philosophies and lyrical poetry that made him a pioneer of afrofuturism as he preached awareness and peace above all. He abandoned his birth name and took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (Ra being the ancient Egyptian god of the sun), and used several other names throughout his career, including Le Sonra and Sonny Lee. Sun Ra denied any connection with his birth name, saying "That's an imaginary person, never existed Any name that I use other than Ra is a pseudonym." From the mid-1950s to his death, Sun Ra led "The Arkestra" (a deliberate re...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=97582 ... Read more

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Intermediate. Billy Strayhorn is one of the best-loved, yet underrated composers of jazz. His famous collaborations with and for The Duke Ellington Band have become some of jazz's most enduring standards. Now, for the first time, you can discover for yourself Strayhorn's unique and beautiful style. Discover why Ellington felt such an affinity for this man's compositions.

Rhythm Section: Hal Galper (p); Lynn Seaton (b); Steve Davis (d). Includes: Lush Life, Satin Doll, Take The 'A' Train, Rain Check, A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing, My Little Brown Book, Blood Count, Isfahan, Drawing Room Blues, Chelsea Bridge, Johnny Come Lately, UMMG. ... Read more

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Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Take the "A" Train, Lush Life, Satin Doll, Things Ain't What They Used to Be, Something to Live For, Chelsea Bridge, Day Dream. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Take the 'A' Train" is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. It is arguably the most famous of the many compositions to emerge from the collaboration of Ellington and Strayhorn. The use of the Strayhorn composition as the signature tune was made necessary by a ruling in 1940 by ASCAP. When ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers) raised its licensing fees for broadcast use, many ASCAP members, including Ellington, could no longer play their compositions over radio, as most music was played live on radio in those days. Ellington turned to Billy Strayhorn and son Mercer Ellington, who were registered with ASCAP competitor BMI to "write a whole new book for the band," Mercer recalled." 'A' Train" was one of many songs written by Strayhorn, and was picked to replace "Sepia Panorama" as the band's signature song. Mercer recalled that he found the song in a trash can after Strayhorn discarded a draft of it because it sounded too much like a Fletcher Henderson arrangement. The song was first recorded on January 15, 1941 as a standard transcription for radio broadcast. The first (and most famous) commercial recording was made on February 15, 1941. The title refers to the A subway service that runs through New York City, going at that time from eastern Brooklyn up into Harlem and northern Manhattan, using the express tracks in Manhattan. "Take the 'A' Train" was composed in 1933, after Ellington offered Strayhorn a job in his organization and gave him money to travel from Pittsb...http://booksllc.net/?id=1458754 ... Read more