Where Swing is King!
“Johnny Come Lately” (Originally titled “Plain Time”; later “Stomp.”) (*) Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on June 26,1942 in Hollywood. Billy Strayhorn, piano, directing: Wallace [..]
“Flamingo” Composed by Ted Grouya (music) and Edmund Anderson (lyric); arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on December 28, 1940 in Chicago. Duke Ellington, piano, and Billy Strayhorn, [..]
“Blood Count” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on August 28, 1967 in New York. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Herbie Jones, William “Cat” Anderson, Mercer [..]
“A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”(*) Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Billy Strayhorn for United Artists Records in Paris, France in January of 1961. Billy Strayhorn, piano, directing: Michel Gaudry, bass; and [..]
“Clementine” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on July 2, 1941 in Hollywood. Duke Ellington, piano; directing: Wallace Jones and Ray Nance, trumpets; Rex Stewart, cornet; [..]
“Something to Live For” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on December 20, 1965 in Hollywood, California. Ella Fitzgerald, vocal; with Duke Ellington, directing: William [..]
“Rocks in My Bed” Composed by Duke Ellington; arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on September 29, 1941 in Hollywood, California. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: [..]
“Lush Life” Composed by Billy Strayhorn; arranged by Harold Mooney. Recorded on April 1, 1956 by Sarah Vaughan for Mercury Records in New York. Billy Strayhorn met Duke Ellington backstage at the Stanley Theater in [..]
“Sepia Panorama” Composed by Duke Ellington; arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on July 24, 1940 in New York. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Charles M. “Cootie” Williams, [..]
They both grew up in Pittsburgh at the same time, the 1920s and 1930s, and knew each other. They were about the same age. But they were very different people. One was big and boisterous; [..]