Table of Contents
- 1 What instrument did Billy Strayhorn play?
- 2 What instruments did Duke Ellington play?
- 3 What was Billy Strayhorn’s last composition?
- 4 When was the Duke Ellington Orchestra most popular?
- 5 Who was the saxophonist in blood count?
- 6 Who was Duke Ellington and what did he do?
- 7 Who are some of Duke Ellington’s piano players?
What instrument did Billy Strayhorn play?
Piano
| Billy Strayhorn | |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1934–1964 |
| Labels | United Artists, Felsted, Mercer |
| Associated acts | Duke Ellington |
What instruments did Duke Ellington play?
| Duke Ellington | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Jazz swing |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader musician composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1914–1974 |
What was Billy Strayhorn’s contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra?
Between 1939 and 1967, Strayhorn created up to 40 percent of the Ellington Orchestra’s material, including the band’s most well-known song, “Take the A Train.” Strayhorn toured internationally with the Ellington Band and lived for a brief time in Paris. He made his permanent home in Manhattan in New York City.
What did Mercer Ellington do?
Mercer Ellington, a trumpet player, arranger, composer and band leader who had led the Duke Ellington Orchestra since his father’s death in 1974, died Thursday in Denmark. Ellington led small groups including a band that featured Carmen McRae as vocalist.
What was Billy Strayhorn’s last composition?
Strayhorn renamed and finished writing this piece, originally titled “Blue Cloud,” while under treatment for esophageal cancer in 1967; tragically, it became the last composition he ever wrote.
When was the Duke Ellington Orchestra most popular?
In 1931, he was invited to visit the White House, and in 1933 his band made its first European tour, a huge triumph. In the years that followed, Ellington continued to grow musically, and the quality of his band continued to improve, reaching what many consider to be a peak from 1939 through the early 1940s.
Why was Billy Strayhorn important?
Composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn would go on to create some of the most popular American music of the 20th century: songs like “Lush Life” or “Take The ‘A’ Train.” Born 100 years ago today, Nov. 29, 1915, Strayhorn did it his way — without ever hiding who he was.
Who is Mercedes Ellington married to?
Eric Butler
Mercedes Doralyn Ellington, a choreographer and stage director, and Eric Butler, a musician, composer and vocalist, both in New York, are engaged to be married.
Who was the saxophonist in blood count?
Billy Strayhorn
Billy Strayhorn died at 4:45 a.m. on May 31, 1967 at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York. The Duke Ellington Orchestra would visit this arrangement just two more times: at a concert in Los Angeles on June 23, 1967 and then for the famous studio-recorded tribute to Strayhorn …
Who was Duke Ellington and what did he do?
Versatility was what the Duke was all about – he was the Renaissance man of jazz. Duke Ellington is acknowledged as the greatest composer in jazz and his innovative arrangements featured his piano playing against a rich, deep sound played by the brilliant musicians of his orchestra.
When did Mercer Ellington’s son take over the band?
When his father died in 1974, Ellington took over the orchestra, traveling on tour to Europe in 1975 and 1977. (His son Edward Ellington played in the band in the late 1970s. His son Paul Mercer Ellington took it over at a later date.)
When was the last concert Duke Ellington played?
The last three shows Ellington and his orchestra performed were one on March 21, 1973 at Purdue University’s Hall of Music and two on March 22, 1973 at the Sturges-Young Auditorium in Sturgis, Michigan.
Who are some of Duke Ellington’s piano players?
Among the many piano players he listened to were Doc Perry, Lester Dishman, Louis Brown, Turner Layton, Gertie Wells, Clarence Bowser, Sticky Mack, Blind Johnny, Cliff Jackson, Claude Hopkins, Phil Wurd, Caroline Thornton, Luckey Roberts, Eubie Blake, Joe Rochester, and Harvey Brooks.