Jazzin’Around Take the A Train
From ‘Take the A Train’ to ‘Take The A Train’ , we have mixed 18 ‘linked together by a clue‘ tunes around the theme of ‘Billy Strayhorn ‘. It has Rod Stewart, Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers, Elvis Presley, Peggy Lee and many more.
Billy Strayhorn : Billy \”Sweet Pea\” Strayhorn joined Ellington’s band in 1939, at the age of twenty-two. Ellington liked what he saw in Billy and took this shy, talented pianist under his wings. Neither one was sure what Strayhorn’s function in the band would be…(well! now, we know)
BBC : It was January 1939. Strayhorn travelled up from his home in Pittsburgh to New York. He was making the journey to impress Duke Ellington but fearing that might not be enough he had also written a composition using the travel instructions Ellington’s office had given him to get to the band’s venue. It was called Take the A Train.
IMDB : In \”Take the A Train (2002)\” (the movie), after being handcuffed to New York City’s ‘A’ train by his prep school friends, young Karim is forced to ride all the way to the last stop. On his journey, he comes of age, meeting a diverse group of people, from a random business man to Keisha, a girl he inevitably falls for. (when public transport meets light SM. Please untie me, Keisha!)
JazzStandards.com : Though considered up tempo, the tune and its harmonic structure of \”Take the A Train\” move very slowly–many sustained notes over chords held up to two measures. The exception is the brief burst of rapid chromaticism that occurs at the end of each “A”. .
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