Duke Ellington & his orchestra
Ellington on piano, 5 trumpets, 3 trombones, 5 saxophones, drummer and bass.
The tune was a collaboration between Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. A few years later Johnny Mercer penned lyrics (1953) that are clever, hip and infused with slang through and through.
Cigarette holder, which wigs me
Over her shoulder, she digs me.
Out cattin' that satin doll.
Baby, shall we go out skippin?
Careful, amigo, you're flippin',
Speaks Latin, that satin doll.
She's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be.
I'll give it a whirl but I ain't for no girl catching me,
Switch-a-rooney!
Telephone numbers, well you know,
Doin' my rhumbas with uno
And that'n, my Satin Doll.
Nancy Wilson
Showing posts with label Billy Strayhorn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Billy Strayhorn. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Lotus Blossom (waltz)
Composed by Billy Strayhorn (1947)
Performed by Duke Ellington, piano
Trivia: Ellington claimed that Lotus Blossom was the piece Strayhorn most liked hearing him play.
From Ellington's eulogy upon the death of Strayhorn:
...Billy Strayhorn successfully married melody, words, and harmony, equating the fitting with happiness. His greatest virtue, I think, was his honesty, not only to others, but to himself. His listening-hearing self was totally intolerant of his writing-playing self when, or if, any compromise was expected, or considered expedient...He spoke English perfectly and French very well, but condescension did not enter into his mind. He demanded freedom of expression and lived in what we consider the most important and moral of freedoms: freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity (even throughout all the pain and bad news); freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might help another more than it might help himself; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel he was better than his brother or neighbor.
Another rendition by Charles Lloyd (tenor sax) with Geri Allen (piano)
Marc Johnson (bass), Billy Hart (drums), and John Abercrombie (guitar).
2001 Montreal International Jazz Festival
Performed by Duke Ellington, piano
Trivia: Ellington claimed that Lotus Blossom was the piece Strayhorn most liked hearing him play.
From Ellington's eulogy upon the death of Strayhorn:
...Billy Strayhorn successfully married melody, words, and harmony, equating the fitting with happiness. His greatest virtue, I think, was his honesty, not only to others, but to himself. His listening-hearing self was totally intolerant of his writing-playing self when, or if, any compromise was expected, or considered expedient...He spoke English perfectly and French very well, but condescension did not enter into his mind. He demanded freedom of expression and lived in what we consider the most important and moral of freedoms: freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity (even throughout all the pain and bad news); freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might help another more than it might help himself; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel he was better than his brother or neighbor.
Another rendition by Charles Lloyd (tenor sax) with Geri Allen (piano)
Marc Johnson (bass), Billy Hart (drums), and John Abercrombie (guitar).
2001 Montreal International Jazz Festival
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sophisticated Lady
Music by Duke Ellington (1932); lyrics by Irving Mills & Mitchell Parish.
Chick Corea (piano) & Gary Burton (vibes)
Note: The attribution to Billy Strayhorn, as labeled in the video, is incorrect (Strayhorn did not meet Ellington until six years after this piece was written). Also, Irving Mills (lyrics) was the manager of the Duke Ellington Orchestra until 1939; whether or not he actually wrote the lyrics for which he is credited is widely disputed. The issue was one of royalties. Ellington frequently took credit for music he didn't write; he paid a flat fee for compositions, then credited himself, so that he could collect royalties. Sadly, Billy Strayhorn, who willingly lived his life in the shadow of Ellington, was often on the losing end of many such transactions. Strayhorn, an openly gay black man in the era of extreme homophobia and prejudice, was Ellington's "right hand, left hand, and all the eyes in the back of my head", as stated by Ellington himself. Strayhorn was, however, accurately credited with composing "Take the A Train," Ellington's theme music.
Chick Corea (piano) & Gary Burton (vibes)
Note: The attribution to Billy Strayhorn, as labeled in the video, is incorrect (Strayhorn did not meet Ellington until six years after this piece was written). Also, Irving Mills (lyrics) was the manager of the Duke Ellington Orchestra until 1939; whether or not he actually wrote the lyrics for which he is credited is widely disputed. The issue was one of royalties. Ellington frequently took credit for music he didn't write; he paid a flat fee for compositions, then credited himself, so that he could collect royalties. Sadly, Billy Strayhorn, who willingly lived his life in the shadow of Ellington, was often on the losing end of many such transactions. Strayhorn, an openly gay black man in the era of extreme homophobia and prejudice, was Ellington's "right hand, left hand, and all the eyes in the back of my head", as stated by Ellington himself. Strayhorn was, however, accurately credited with composing "Take the A Train," Ellington's theme music.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Lush Life
Lush Life is a jazz standard with both lyrics and music written by Billy Strayhorn in the 1930s. However, the song was only performed privately by Strayhorn until he and vocalist Kay Davis performed it on November 13, 1948 with the Duke Ellington Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. The song's lyrics describe the author's weariness of the night life after a failed romance, wasting time with "jazz and cocktails" at "come-what-may places" and in the company of girls with "sad and sullen gray faces/with distingué traces". Strayhorn was only 16 years old when he wrote the majority of the song, which was to become his signature composition, along with Take the A Train.
Performance by Queen Latifah (from the 1998 film Living Out Loud).
This Marvyn Warren arrangement was subsequently included on The Dana Owens Album in 2004 (Dana Owens is the real name of artist Queen Latifah). This is an interesting title sequence, in that it begins with Queen Latifah and at the end switches to Holly Hunter finishing the song dressed in only a bra (I would not lie to you).
If you have any recollection of that movie at all, it’s likely the scene in which Eddie Cibrian massages Holly Hunter (and introduces a whole new generation to “At Last” as sung by Etta James – at the 3 minute mark). Warning – it’s erotic as all get out, so you might not want to watch this with your grandmother.
Performance by Queen Latifah (from the 1998 film Living Out Loud).
This Marvyn Warren arrangement was subsequently included on The Dana Owens Album in 2004 (Dana Owens is the real name of artist Queen Latifah). This is an interesting title sequence, in that it begins with Queen Latifah and at the end switches to Holly Hunter finishing the song dressed in only a bra (I would not lie to you).
If you have any recollection of that movie at all, it’s likely the scene in which Eddie Cibrian massages Holly Hunter (and introduces a whole new generation to “At Last” as sung by Etta James – at the 3 minute mark). Warning – it’s erotic as all get out, so you might not want to watch this with your grandmother.
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