Series 34, Prog 6

THE BILLY STRAYHORN SONG BOOK

Billy Strayhorn was an exceptionally gifted jazz composer, arranger, lyricst and pianist. For nearly three decades, he worked as the primary creative collaborator and confidant to bandleader Duke Ellington. Though he lived much of his life in Ellington's formidable shadow, Strayhorn wrote some of the most enduring standards in jazz history, from Take the "A" Train (the Ellington Orchestra's signature theme song) to the hauntingly sophisticated ballad Lush Life - written over a period when Strayhorn was only 17 to 20 years old! Widely celebrated as a trailblazer who lived as an openly gay Black musician during a highly conservative era in American history, he enjoyed close friendships with Lena Horne and Dr Martin Luther King. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1984.

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Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

Satin Doll - Lorez Alexandria: Lorez Alexandria the Great

My Little Brown Book - Al Hibbler: Melodies By Hibbler

A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing (aka Passion Flower) - Nancy Wilson: Like In Love

Maybe - Lena Horne: We’ll Be Together Again

Take the “A” Train - Mel Tormé: I Dig the Duke/I Dig the Count

Lotus Blossom Days - Vicki Burns: Lotus Blossom Days

Grievin’ - Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington: Blue Rose

Day Dream - Sophie Milman: In the Moonlight

Lush Life - Johnny Hartman & John Coltrane: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman

Can I Call You Sugar (Sugar Rum Cherry) - Lorraine Feather: Such Sweet Thunder

Something to Live For - Nina Simone: Sings Duke Ellington

Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ - Jimmy Witherspoon: ‘Spoon

Multi-Colored Blue - Roberta Gambarini & Tamir Hendelman: Easy to Love

Imagine My Frustration - Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington: Ella at Duke’s Place

Billy Strayhorn

(November 29, 1915 - May 31, 1967)

"I used to visit all the gay places, those come-what-may places

Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life, to get the feel of life

From jazz and cocktails..."

Image: Ron Lach/Pexels