Search - Billy Strayhorn :: Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life

Correction Re: "previously unrecorded" status of tune

PH-50-NC | Southeast USA | 02/07/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A previously reviewer wrote this was worth buying for "works that have not been recorded before, such as: 'Fantastic Rhythm', 'Valse', 'The Flowers Die Of Love' and 'So This Is Love'"....



Actually, all of those compositions have been recorded previously thanks to the efforts of the Dutch Jazz Orchestra/Jerry Van Rooijen and musicologist Walter van de Leur (who was interviewed on-camera for the Strayhorn PBS documentary). The albums "So This Is Love" "Portrait of a Silk Thread" and "Something to Live For" are full of previously unrecorded Strayhorn (previous to the late 1990s), most with original big band orchestration. Some feature vocals by Marjorie Barnes (I believe that's her name). All are available as part of a 4-CD box that also includes a CD of Strayhorn arrangents of standards (i.e. "Great American Songbook" popular music).



Also worth exploring are the two studio sessions that could properly be called Strayhorn solo albums: "The Peaceful Side of Billy Strayhorn" (originally on United Artists, now on CD from one of the EMI imprints) and the post-humously released "Lush Life" CD on Red Baron records, which is a studio recording of Strayhorn's 1965 New School concert (mentioned in the documentary).This last CD features some of the rare vocal tunes by Strayhorn heard in the documentary and on the tie-in CD reviewed on this page.



It's wonderful that all of this music, new and old, is out on CD and showing off the gifts of Strayhorn. I would recommend buying the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and Strayhorn solo discs before buying the CDs that are tie-ins to David Hadju's excellent Lush Life biography and this new PBS documentary."

Sophisticated Strayhorn

James Lamperetta | Upstate, NY | 01/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The twenty-nine year partnership between Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington produced an unrivaled body of work. Running the gamut from popular songs and jazz compositions to orchestral suites and theatrical scores the fruits of their collaboration have a truly timeless quality and continue to inspire and intrigue musicians and audiences alike.

"Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life" is a 90-minute documentary which will debut nationally as part of PBS's Independent Lens series on Feb. 6. As one would expect, the complex relationship between these two pioneering African-American musicians and the resultant mystique will be a central theme in this first in-depth exploration of the brilliant composer/pianist/arrangers life.

The companion soundtrack of the same name has recently released by Blue Note and it is an elegant star-studded affair. Covering some of Strayhorn's most enduring compositions, the disc also spotlights equally satisfying lesser known titles too.

It is no coincidence since Strayhorn was a pianist that the instrument is prominent throughout courtesy of Bill Charlap, Hank Jones, and Peter Martin. Charlap takes solo strolls on both the disc opening "Fantastic Rhythm" and the classical piece "Valse." Jones goes it alone on the Ellington/Strayhorn gem "Satin Doll" while he and Charlap offer up an inspired four-handed rendition of "Tonk," which was originally performed in a similar fashion by Strayhorn and Ellington.

Dianne Reeves delivers vocals on six of the fifteen tunes. Strayhorn's signature piece "Lush Life" is a stark duet with guitarist Russell Malone. "Something to Live For," "Day Dream," "My Little Brown Book" and the more obscure "The Flowers Die of Love" and "So This Is Love" all feature her accompanied by a trio.

Playing tenor exclusively, saxophonist Joe Lovano's dream quartet of Jones on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Paul Motian on drums put a masterful touch on "Rain Check," "Johnny Come Lately," "Chelsea Bridge" and "Lotus Blossom." He also teams up with Charlap to back Elvis Costello as he delivers the lyrics he penned to "Blood Count," the last composition Strayhorn composed. Re-titled here as "My Flame Burns Blue," the trio delivers a haunting, evocative performance.

Many of the performances on the disc, particularly those by Reeves are also presented visually in the film."

Strayhorn CD a winner

William E. Haley, Jr. | Edenton NC | 03/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The CD resulting from the PBS Lush Life documentary is a prize. I only wish there had been a way to include a couple of performances by Ellington-Strayhorn era people such as Johnny Hodges' Passion Flower. Most of us collectors have that, however, so it is not a great oversight.

But to hear great pianists of different generations doing Strayhorn justice (Bill Charlap and the ageless Hank Jones) is fantastic. And Diane Reeves has become the newest pretender to Ella's throne. What a great choice for the vocals. The only thing better must be having the dvd of the marvelous documentary on the life of an important and somewhat overlooked composer, Billy Strayhorn."