Reverie Liner Notes 

 

 ◆About Billy Strayhorn◆                                                                     Japanese

 　

―Light and Shadow ―

 　

　Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967; born William Thomas Strayhorn) was an exceptionally talented musician, pianist, and composer/arranger. However, it wasn't until the 1990s that his achievements began to shine a light on him. For most of his life, he lived in the shadow of the fame of his employer, friend, and meeting partner, Duke Ellington. It's also thought that the fact that he was openly gay, a rarity in the jazz world at the time, may have put a strain on his life.

　For Strayhorn, who showed musical talent from an early age, classical music was his first love. He continued to love classical music throughout his life, but it was extremely difficult for him, a black man, to become a classical musician in the white supremacist classical music world. As a result, Strayhorn gave up on his dream and, after meeting jazz pianists such as Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, turned to jazz, performing throughout Pittsburgh.

    Strayhorn met Ellington when the band visited Pittsburgh in 1938, and upon hearing him play, Ellington immediately offered him a job. By January of the following year, Strayhorn had joined the band as arranger, composer, pianist, and collaborator. Ellington reportedly told Strayhorn, "There's no set position for you. Do what you want to do."

 　A dispute with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) in 1940-1941, which prevented Ellington's music from being broadcast on radio, provided Strayhorn with a major opportunity to contribute songs such as "After All," "Chelsea Bridge," "Johnny Come Lately," and "Passion Flower" to Ellington's music collection. Over the years, Strayhorn also performed and received credits on many of Ellington's suites, including "Such Sweet Thunder," "A Drum Is a Woman," "The Perfume Suite," and "The Far East Suite."

　In the 1950s, Strayhorn began a solo career outside of Ellington, but did not achieve much success and returned to the band. In 1964, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, caused by years of smoking and drinking, and was hospitalized.

　While hospitalized, he submitted his final work, "Blood Count," to Ellington's orchestra. 　Strayhorn passed away in May 1967, but shortly thereafter, Ellington recorded "And His Mother Called Him Bill" in memory of his right-hand man and friend.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

 

◆About Songs◆

 

1.Something to live for（1933）

　Composed by Strayhorn at the age of 18 in 1933, the song, based on a poem he wrote, was his first collaboration with Ellington and was one of the first recordings by the Ellington Orchestra in 1939.

　The lyrics, "I've got a car, a house, pretty much everything a person could want, but I still feel unfulfilled. I want to meet someone (or something) that will make me want to live," seem to express Strayhorn's hunger for music.

　On the day of recording, the first song after the lunch break was initially recorded as a ballad, but Josh suggested we try speeding up the tempo a bit, and I think that created an atmosphere that conveyed a more innocent feel. 

 

2．My Little Brown Book （1935）

　Strayhorn composed the song in 1935 as part of a show called "Fantastic Rhythms" for his high school's "Stunt Day" event (a short show of skits and songs).

　He later arranged it for vocals for Duke Ellington's Orchestra in 1940, and it was first recorded in 1942 with Herb Jeffries on vocals.

　In 1952, Strayhorn revisited the song and arranged it with Jimmy Grissom on vocals. This arrangement was later re-recorded instrumentally by Ellington for his 1967 tribute album, "...and his mother called him Bill." Coltrane's rendition as a ballad is also well-known.

　Although it's a song about heartbreak, it also evokes a dry sense of humor and hope.

 

3．Day Dream（1939）

　This piece was composed during a seven-week tour of Europe with the Ellington Orchestra in 1939. Strayhorn was working on a new piece at his Harlem mansion at the time, working for Duke Ellington, who later credited him as a collaborator on the piece. The lyrics were by John LaTouche. It was first recorded on November 2, 1940, by saxophonist Johnny Hodges and his ensemble.

　This song is often sung as a sensual ballad, but this time I wanted to express a dreamy atmosphere, so I performed it in a breezy bossa nova style.

 

4．A flower is a lovesome thing（1941）　

　Strayhorn composed the song in 1941 and it was premiered by Duke Ellington in 1946. Ellington recorded it in 1961, and Ella Fitzgerald first recorded it in 1965.

　Norma Winston's lyrics, accompanied by Strayhorn's characteristically mystical harmonies, further enhance the song's bewitching and mysterious beauty.

 

5．Valse（1933）

　Billy Strayhorn composed "Waltz" in 1933, when he was around 16 years old and still in high school, and continued to work on it over the next three years. This piece can be seen as his homage to Frédéric Chopin.

　The melancholic melody seems to express his love for classical music and the sadness of not being able to achieve his dreams.

 

6．Johnny Come Lately（1942）Piano solo

　"Johnny Come Lately" was recorded by the Ellington Band on June 23, 1942, and released under that title within a few weeks. When the Ellington Band performed it at their debut concert at New York's Carnegie Hall on January 23, 1943, it was called "Stomp." Shortly thereafter, the same song was performed at a Boston concert as "Little Right Sulph." (The meaning of the word "psalf" is unknown.)

　The expression "Johnny came late" dates back to 19th-century American slang, and is said to have been in use primarily since the 1850s. It refers to someone who joins a new movement or phenomenon late, and is thought to have been a play on the name of Johnny Hodges, the saxophonist in Ellington's band.

 

7.Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin'（1941）

　In 1941, Strayhorn collaborated with Ellington on "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'," which was released that same year. With lyrics by Lee Gaines, it remains one of Ellington and Strayhorn's most popular and enduring songs.

　It's a bluesy song with lyrics that sing, "I've been waiting all day since he left me, and if I ever see him, please remind me I'm here waiting."

 

8．Star-Crossed Lovers（1956）

　This song was inspired by the works of Shakespeare, which Strayhorn loved to read. Originally titled "Pretty Girl," it was included in the Ellington-Strayhorn suite "Such Sweet Thunder" in 1957. At that time, Ellington insisted on changing the title to "Star-Crossed Lovers," and the song was renamed.

　The original lyrics were "Oh my girl," but Strayhorn sang it in a gender-neutral way, considering that he was gay.

 

 9．Raincheck（1941）

　Composed in 1941 and first recorded by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Strayhorn joined the Ellington Orchestra as its resident composer and arranger in January 1939, and "Raincheck" was one of many well-known pieces he added to the orchestra's repertoire.

 　"Raincheck" is a word derived from rain postponement tickets for baseball games, and by extension, refers to a positive suggestion like "Can we do it again next time?" I wanted to try singing this song, which is also famous for being performed by Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan, scat-singing it, so I took on the challenge. When I finished recording this song and went to the mixing room, the engineer was humming along too :D.

 

10．Isfahan（1967）piano　solo 

　"Isfahan" is the name of a city in Iran. It was released on Ellington's 1967 album, "The Far East Suite." Longtime Ellington soloist Johnny Hodges plays alto saxophone on this piece. 　Originally composed by Strayhorn, the piece was called "Elf" (a fairy from Norse mythology). 

 

　Josh's delicate piano playing evokes images of Iranian palaces and the beautiful patterns of Persian carpets.

 

 11．Take the 　“A”　Train　(1939)

　The song was inspired by Ellington giving Strayhorn subway directions to his house, beginning with the phrase "Take the A train." Strayhorn composed the song immediately after receiving the directions. The collaboration between Strayhorn and Ellington was a great success, and Strayhorn became an integral part of Ellington's band.

　Since so many fantastic musicians have already performed and recorded this song, I was hesitant to include it, but I decided to include it following the advice of Dai Murata ( Sabo Voice), who supported the production of this album, who said, "It would be good to include a song that everyone knows."  

 

 When I tried singing it with a different rhythm, it ended up having a fun feel, like reliving Strayhorn's excitement on the way to Ellington's house.

 

12．Duke& Billy  

  An original song by Josh.

  It expresses the friendship and musicianship between Strayhorn and Ellington, woven together like light and shadow.

  With Josh's kind permission, we recorded it with the intention of paying homage to Strayhorn's music while adding a new essence for those of us living in the modern age.

 

13. Lotus Blossom (Estimated: 1945-47)

  Lotus Blossom is a song that Strayhorn himself loved to play. The melody is impressive, but the beauty of the chord progression will move your soul.

  The lotus flower has strong ties to Buddhism and the Orient, and the way it blooms from the mud is reminiscent of Strayhorn's life, in which he created beautiful music out of suffering. 

  The Ellington Orchestra's recording of "And His Mother Called Him Bill" in memory of Strayhorn includes a piano solo by Ellington, conveying the depth of his feelings that are hard to put into words.

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Yuki Hidaka）