“Billy’s touch”

background, influences, works and compositional style of Billy Strayhorn

Authors

Keywords:

Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, Authorship and compositional collaboration, Musical analysis of jazz, Influence between classical and popular music, Chromaticism in jazz

Abstract

Style study on the music of American composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn who became Duke Ellington’s right arm and alter ego. It discusses the unique compositional collaboration between the two giants of jazz and the question of authorship in the Duke Ellington Orchestra repertory. It includes a historical context of Strayhorn’s musical background and his works. The analysis of 19 selected works of Billy Strayhorn reveals traits related to style/tempo, time signature, tonality, form, length, harmonic chord pace and harmonic language and some other relevant details.

Author Biographies

  • J. William Murray, Towson University (USA)

    Pianist, composer and arranger J. William (Bill) Murray graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music (Composition and Jazz) from Towson University in Towson, Maryland, USA. In addition, he earned an MBA in Economics with honors from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with special honors from the University of Colorado. As a performer, he is active in the Baltimore area as a soloist and arranger for jazz groups. He has recorded his works on two CDs Billy's touch and Moving On. He is currently President of the Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society and a board member of the Towson University Foundation, University System of Maryland Foundation, and Center Stage Theater.

  • Fausto Borém, Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil)

    Fausto Borém is a Professor at UFMG, where he created the Master's program and the Per Musi magazine. A CNPq researcher since 1994, he has published two books, three book chapters, dozens of articles on performance practices and their interfaces (composition, analysis, musicology, ethnomusicology of popular music and music education) in national and international journals, dozens of editions of scores and recitals in major national and international double bass events. He has received several awards in Brazil and abroad as soloist, theorist, composer and teacher.

References

CARNER, Gary. Billy Strayhorn: man, music, and influence. Sonneck Society Bulletin. v.17, n.2, 1991. p.48-52.

COSS, Bill. Billy Strayhorn Interviewed by Bill Coss. In: Duke Ellington Reader. Mark Tucker ed, New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.

ELLINGTON, Edward Kennedy. Music is my mistress. New York: Da Capo Press, 1973.

GIDDINS, Gary; DE VEAUX, Scott. Jazz. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2009.

HAIDU, David. Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1996.

LAMBERT, Eddie. A Listener’s guide: Duke Ellington (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1999.

LORD, Tom. The Tune Index-The Jazz Discography. West Vancouver, B.C., Canadá: Lord Music Reference, 2002.

MURRAY, J. William (Bill) Murray. Billy’s touch: an analysis of the compositions of Bill Evans, Billy Strayhorn, and Bill Murray. Towson, Maryland, EUA: Towson University: 2011 (Dissertação de Mestrado).

NICHOLSON, Stuart. A Portrait of Duke Ellington: reminiscing in tempo. London: Sidwick & Jackson, 1999.

REED, Bill, Hot from Harlem: Twelve African American entertainers, 1890-1960. Ed. rev. Jefferson, N.C., EUA: Mc Farland & Company, 2010.

STRAYHORN, Billy. Billy Strayhorn arranging hints. Music & Rhythm. Maio, 1942.

ULANOV, Barry. Duke Ellington. New York: Creative Age Press, 1946.

VAN DE LEUR, Walter. Strayhorn, William Thomas (“Billy”). International Dictionary of Black Composers. Samuel A. Floyd, Editor. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1999.

VAN DE LEUR, Walter. Something to live for: the music of Billy Strayhorn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

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Published

2014-06-13

Issue

No. 29 (2014): General Topics

Section

Articles in Portuguese/Spanish

License

Copyright (c) 2014 Per Musi

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How to Cite

“‘Billy’s touch’: Background, Influences, Works and Compositional Style of Billy Strayhorn”. 2014. Per Musi, no. 29 (June): 1-14. https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/permusi/article/view/39151.

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