Duke Ellington, Blood Count (Billy Strayhorn)


And His Mother Called Him Bill (1967)Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton (alto saxophone, clarinet); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (baritone saxophone); Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herbie Jones, Cootie Williams (trumpet); Clark Terry (flugelhorn); John Sanders, Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors (trombone); Aaron Bell, Jeff Castleman (bass); Steve Little, Sam Woodyard (drums).

I am completely captivated by the Strayhorn/Ellington narrative and by the 1967 CD *And His Mother Called Him Bill.* Every story has a beginning and a middle, and as many of us eventually figure out , there are no real endings. This CD is a living legacy of that reality. My appreciation for this body of work is inseparable from the the love story it expresses.

Can you imagine being fortunate enough to meet someone in your lifetime that you connect with on a creative and soul level so profound that it is not a threat to, nor rivalled by any other kind of intimacy? From all that I have read by historians and biographers, and all myths aside, this is the essence of the relationship Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn shared and nurtured for 30 years. Abond beyond gender or sexuality, and even deeper than friendship. Yet, most of their famous compositions were collaborated on while apart and from completely different approaches, one being self taught liking contrast and discord, the other classically trained loving harmony and melody.

Strayhorn recalled the first time he watched the Duke in action: Something inside me changed when I saw Ellington on stage, like I hadn't been living until then. And later Ellington described Strayhorn as my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brainwaves in his head, and his inmine. When Billy Strayhorn died in 1967 after a two year struggle with esophagus cancer, Ellington was so devastated that he did not get out of bed for weeks, and three months later he called his band into the studio to record this tribute album.

Hence, my inspiration to share. These are my first You Tube uploads, audio only and not perfect, but just lay back, close your eyes and drift.

Blood Count is the last composition written by Billy Strayhorn in the months before he died







Channel: Music
Uploaded: May 17, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Author: sofullyours

Length: 00:05:01
Rating: 5.00
Views: 1544

Tags: jazz

Embed Code:


Video Comments:
sofullyours (July 1, 2008 at 2:05 pm)
If I seem a strangerI feel far from dangerWe tamper and we toyWith passion over joyEven though my flame burns blueEven though the fire that once was desire
Doesn't look for trouble or dare to flare
Look now
And I won't be there
sofullyours (July 1, 2008 at 2:05 pm)
All my mightBetween velvet and dynamiteBlow out the doorsLet in the lightFalling dust in the beamAnd a small stifled screamAlibis and decoys
Were his eyes so turquoise?
Covered with a lash
They flatter and they flash
Even though my flame burns blue
sofullyours (July 1, 2008 at 2:03 pm)
Oh my goodness. The lyrics are beautiful. Thank you for mentioning this. I wish I could see you sing at your event. How exciting!My Flame Burns Blue

As the last light glimmers
And the evening hours dim
Maybe I'm too proud to utter it out loud
Even though my flame burns blue

As the night's descending
Once again I find I'll tarry and pretend
My confidential friend
Will suddenly appear in view
phatmandee (July 1, 2008 at 4:25 am)
Stunning, I am asked to sing "Lush Life" at an event later this month, in Pittsburgh at the Kelly/Strayhorn Theater, so I am doing more research on Strayhorn in general and came across this song, and it really is just so lovely. What do you think of the lyrics that Elvis Costello wrote for it?
chargeboy (June 28, 2008 at 9:41 am)
I love this song so much, Im going to be cliché and say I love how haunting it is
eroc70 (June 20, 2008 at 2:58 am)
Nice info. You seem like you understand Ellington. Have u heard any of the later stuff like the afro-Eurasian eclipse and New Orleans suite?
hremdldw (May 30, 2008 at 9:52 pm)
Billy,Johnny My Lord My Lord All Beauty All the time.With the greatest Band ever With the greatest Band leader ever Edward K. Ellington.When Strayhorn,Blanton,Nance and Webster came into band it changed Duke forever.Duke was one of the few band leaders who was albe too change and stay up with newer bands and with the body of work he had already established,the equivalent of Zeus looking down on mere mortals.Sofullyours thank you for uploading this audio tribute to Billy Strayhorn.

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