when did duke ellington write take the a train

What is the Duke Ellington song take the a train?

Take the "A" Train. " Take the 'A' Train " is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. It is arguably the most famous of the many compositions to emerge from the collaboration of Ellington and Strayhorn.

What was Duke Ellington's signature opening song?

Strayhorn recalled that the song that became the signature opening piece for Duke Ellington and his Orchestra came to him with very little effort. In fact, he said that the music and lyrics for "Take the A Train," originally recorded on February 15, 1941 by Ellington for Victor Records,...

What was Duke Ellington’s signature composition?

Duke Ellington ’s signature composition was “Take the A Train,” written by his frequent collaborator Billy Strayhorn. The song brought Ellington and his band financial success, became his “theme” song that he would perform regularly for the rest of his life, and is still one of the most important compositions in all of jazz.

Who wrote subway by Duke Ellington?

When Strayhorn played the song for Ellington after a show in Newark, a partnership that would last the rest of Strayhorn's life had begun. Even though Strayhorn wrote lyrics to go with the music, which calls to mind a subway running on its track, the lyrics that were recorded were written by vocalist Joya Sherrill.

When was Take the A Train written?

1939The signature tune of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, “Take the 'A' Train” was composed by Billy Strayhorn in 1939 and first recorded in January 1941 as a standard transcription for radio broadcast.

Did Duke Ellington write Take the A Train?

Duke Ellington's signature composition was “Take the A Train,” written by his frequent collaborator Billy Strayhorn.

Who wrote the lyrics to Take the A Train?

Nikki YanofskyJoya SherrillLee GainesThe the ,a' Train/Lyricists

Why did Duke Ellington write Take the A Train?

"Take the 'A' Train" was composed in 1939, after Ellington offered Strayhorn a job in his organization and gave him money to travel from Pittsburgh to New York City. Ellington wrote directions for Strayhorn to get to his house by subway, directions that began, "Take the A Train".

Who made the A Train famous?

Billy StrayhornDuke EllingtonTake the "A" Train/Composers

What is a train in slang?

Definition:a sexual act done upon someone for pleasure that consists of more than two men and a female.

What was Take the A Train about?

Billy Strayhorn wrote in 1941 "Take the A train," inspired by the rapidity of the train that rumbles down express tracks. Strayhorn was traveling up to Sugar Hill where Duke Ellington lived when the music flowed into his head.

Why is Take the A Train jazz?

The song was inspired by directions that Ellington gave Strayhorn to his place in Harlem upon offering him a job working for the orchestra. This tune became a signature piece of the Ellington Orchestra and is one of the most famous works that the Strayhorn/Ellington collaboration produced.

What does catch a train mean?

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English catch a train/plane/bus to get on a train, plane etc in order to travel on it, or to be in time to get on a train, plane etc before it leaves I caught the 7.15 train to London.

What was Take the A Train about?

Billy Strayhorn wrote in 1941 "Take the A train," inspired by the rapidity of the train that rumbles down express tracks. Strayhorn was traveling up to Sugar Hill where Duke Ellington lived when the music flowed into his head.

How many songs Ellington wrote?

At the same time, Ellington was a strong individual force in the world of jazz—its most prolific creator (with more than 2000 pieces of various kinds to his name) and a source of inspiration for many generations.

What kind of jazz is Duke Ellington known for?

big-band jazzOne of the originators of big-band jazz, Ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in all of Western music.

Who wrote directions for Strayhorn to get to his house by subway?

Ellington wrote directions for Strayhorn to get to his house by subway, directions that began, "Take the A Train". Strayhorn was a great fan of Fletcher Henderson's arrangements. "One day, I was thinking about his style, the way he wrote for trumpets, trombones and saxophones, and I thought I would try something like that," Strayhorn recalled in ...

What song did Delta rhythm boys sing in 1941?

Delta Rhythm Boys perform "Take the 'A' Train" (1941).

When did Strayhorn become a signature tune?

The use of the Strayhorn composition as the signature tune was made necessary by a ruling in 1940 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP ). When ASCAP raised its licensing fees for broadcast use, many ASCAP members, including Ellington, could no longer play their compositions over radio, ...

What was Duke Ellington's first successful publication?

Duke Ellington Collection curator John Hassey of the Smithsonian says that Gillings’ plates were likely used for the first successful publication of Tempo Music Inc. Strayhorn eventually received a 10% stake in the company as well as a salary that allowed him to pursue his passion: composing music.

Who wrote the song Take the Train?

March 11, 2020. Duke Ellington ’s signature composition was “Take the A Train,” written by his frequent collaborator Billy Strayhorn. The song brought Ellington and his band financial success, became his “theme” song that he would perform regularly for the rest of his life, and is still one of the most important compositions in all of jazz.

What did Duke Ellington do in 1941?

In a city filled to the brim with talented musicians, Ellington stood apart. Growing up in a middle-class family that emphasized good manners and spotless dress, the habits instilled in him would later earn him the stand-alone nickname “The Duke.”. In 1941, New York City’s newest subway line ­– the A train – was bringing people from Harlem into ...

Why did Ellington's Tempo Music company succeed?

Music historians attribute Ellington’s rebounding success in the 1940s to the help of Strayhorn. Ellington’s Tempo Music company was formula ted after Ellington severed his relationship with agent Irving Mills. He wanted to own his own music and royalties, ultimately ending his role as victim to the exploitative music industry.

When did Ellington start ragtime?

A seeming natural-born talent, Ellington composed his first ragtime number at age 14. In 1923, he would move from his home in DC to Harlem, New York, at the center of the blossoming Harlem Renaissance. In a city filled to the brim with talented musicians, Ellington stood apart. Growing up in a middle-class family that emphasized good manners ...

When did Strayhorn and Ellington meet?

The pair met in 1938, and the very next year Strayhorn composed “A Train.”. Strayhorn had an uncanny ability to emulate Ellington’s style while infusing it with a melody and lyricism that resembled the emerging “swing” genre.

Who was the guy who engraved the sheet music on the train?

More than half a century after “Take the A Train” debuted, a Brooklyn man (and self-proclaimed “dumpster diver”) Garfied Gillings came across a set of metal plates engraved with sheet music for purpose of printing the famous piece of music, as documented in this segment from the PBS show History Detectives. These plates, unmarked and unsigned, raised a question: was the young Strayhorn denied the credit he deserved for catapulting the band and the publishing company to eternal fame and success?

What is the music of Duke Ellington?

The music: Duke Ellington’s iconic four bar piano introduction leads the way into one of the most famous swing era anthems. Composer Billy Strayhorn’s arrangement is a model of balance and varying instrumental colors. The smooth unison reeds state the melody, with the muted trumpets and open trombones alternatingly providing rhythmic emphases ...

Who was the vocalist for Duke Ellington?

Soon however, Ellington began assigning musical tasks to Strayhorn, including preparing music for the Ellington small band recording sessions, and gradually almost all of the vocal arrangements for Duke’s vocalists, Ivie Anderson, and Herb Jeffries.

What did Ellington tell Strayhorn to write?

The new Strayhorn compositions were: “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Chelsea Bridge,” “Clementine,” “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing,” “After All,” and “Love Like this Can’t Last,” soon followed by ...

What song did the Ellington band play in 1941?

Soon the Ellington band had a hit with “Take the ‘A’ Train, ” and it became the tune the Ellington band began all broadcasts, dances and concerts with for the next forty-plus years. The recording posted here was digitally ...

When did Duke Ellington stop playing ASCAP?

Duke had been an ASCAP member since 1935, and all of his music was licensed for radio performance through ASCAP, which decreed that radio networks should not play any ASCAP music, starting on January 1, 1941. For any band then, radio exposure was essential. The ASCAP prohibition struck the Elling ton band particularly hard because so much ...

Who wrote Take the A Train?

"Take the A Train" was written by a kid who lived in Pittsburgh named Billy Strayhorn.

What is the story behind Take the A Train?

The answer is the story behind "Take the 'A' Train," part of the NPR 100 — our list of the 100 most influential American musical works of the 20th century. NPR's Brooke Gladstone has this report. You live in New York, you don't own a car, you ride the subway. And if you're really unlucky, you have to ride the A train, ...

Who is Duke Ellington?

dukeellington .com. Musical artist. Edward Kennedy " Duke " Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than half a century. Born in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based in New York City from ...

How many compositions did Ellington write?

A master at writing miniatures for the three-minute 78 rpm recording format, Ellington wrote more than one thousand compositions; his extensive body of work is the largest recorded personal jazz legacy, and many of his pieces have become standards.

Why did Duke Ellington get nicknamed Duke?

His childhood friends noticed that his casual, offhand manner and dapper dress gave him the bearing of a young nobleman, so they began calling him "Duke". Ellington credited his friend Edgar McEntree for the nickname: "I think he felt that in order for me to be eligible for his constant companionship, I should have a title. So he called me Duke."

How did Ellington lead the orchestra?

Ellington led the orchestra by conducting from the keyboard using piano cues and visual gestures; very rarely did he conduct using a baton. By 1932 his orchestra consisted of six brass instruments, four reeds, and a rhythm section of four players. As the leader, Ellington was not a strict disciplinarian; he maintained control of his orchestra with a combination of charm, humor, flattery and astute psychology. A complex, private person, he revealed his feelings to only his closest intimates. He effectively used his public persona to deflect attention away from himself.

What did Ellington do in 1917?

Working as a freelance sign-painter from 1917, Ellington began assembling groups to play for dances. In 1919, he met drummer Sonny Greer from New Jersey, who encouraged Ellington's ambition to become a professional musician. Ellington built his music business through his day job. When a customer asked him to make a sign for a dance or party, he would ask if they had musical entertainment; if not, Ellington would offer to play for the occasion. He also had a messenger job with the U.S. Navy and State departments, where he made a wide range of contacts.

How did Ellington start his music business?

Ellington built his music business through his day job. When a customer asked him to make a sign for a dance or party, he would ask if they had musical entertainment; if not, Ellington would offer to play for the occasion. He also had a messenger job with the U.S. Navy and State departments, where he made a wide range of contacts.

What was the first job that Ellington did?

Ellington went to Armstrong Technical High School in Washington, D.C. His first job was selling peanuts at Washington Senators baseball games.

How did Duke Ellington use the piano?

Duke Ellington used the piano in many ways. He would introduce the songs before the band would start to set the mood and the rhythm, or sometimes to call all the members of the band to the stage to get them ready to perform. His introductions could be long or short, but they were always just right for the song that was to be played. One of his most beautiful is the one used to introduce Sophisticated Lady, one of his most popular compositions.

What are the three parts of Duke Ellington's orchestra?

The ensemble was divided into three sections: brass, reeds, and percussion.

What is the story of Daybreak Express?

Daybreak Express is one of Duke Ellington's most original compositions. It provides a vivid picture of a train speeding down the railroad tracks, with its sounds and bouncing rhythms heard and felt in the music.

Who played trumpet in Daybreak Express?

Activity: In Daybreak Express, Duke Ellington featured trumpeter Cootie Williams and the saxophone section of the band to describe the movement of the train. Follow the outline as you listen to the music and write the words "trumpet" or "saxophones" beside each sentence below.

Did Duke Ellington write down musical ideas?

Duke Ellington loved trains, and he and his band spent long hours on them traveling all over the United States. As there was hardly a day he did not write down some musical idea, if only on a piece of scrap paper, he often composed while riding on trains.

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