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The death of Billy Strayhorn on May 31, 1967, brought to an end one of the most fruitful partnerships in the history of 20th- century music. No one could better express an appreciation of Billy’s superior qualities as musician and human being than the man with whom he so long and so loyally collaborated. Re- printed here, with permission, is the eulogy Duke Ellington wrote that sad May morning to assuage his own grief. Omitted from it, he later revealed, were six moving words that he felt would have been too much at the time— “...and his mother called him Bill.”

Designed with affectionate admiration and remembrance by all concerned, this album is a tribute to the great composer and arranger that Billy Strayhorn was. It includes some of his com- positions that are familiar through earlier recordings and some that were never before recorded. His most famous number, Take the “A’’ Train, is not here, not because of any oversight but because it had recently been re-recorded and issued on another RCA Victor album, THE POPULAR DUKE ELLINGTON (LPM/LSP-3576). It continues to serve as the Ellington band’s theme, as it has done for many years—a significant indication of the esteem entertained by Duke Ellington for his confrere.

The music speaks not only for itself but for Billy’s scope, imagination, versatility, dedication and inspiration.

“Inspiration,” he said in a Down Beat interview, ‘‘comes from the simplest kind of thing, like watching a bird fly. That’s only the beginning. Then the work begins. Then you have to sit down and work, and it’s hard.” What geniuses like Ellington and Strayhorn have accom-

plished has not been simply the result of inspired impulses. They worked hard at their music: to meet assignments of all kinds from record companies, moviemakers, T'V producers, and impresarios; to present the Ellington band to the best advan- tage and to showcase its virtuosi individually. Much that they did was in such close collaboration, and so dovetailed, that only they could tell where one’s part ended and the other’s began. Here, however, the music is all Billy’s.

Snibor, written in 1949, was titled for a publisher friend whose name it spells backwards. Primarily a feature for Johnny Hodges’ smoothly swinging saxophone, it also introduces Cootie Williams and Jimmy Hamilton. Boo-Dah is one of several very professional instrumentals

written for the book with dances in mind. The soloist, who makes a welcome return to the fold with his fliigelhorn and plunger mute, is Clark Terry.

Blood Count was a composition and arrangement Billy sent down from the hospital for a Carnegie Hall concert in 1967. Written in a minor key, it was his last, and was one of the most musically affecting ever to come from his pen. A poignant piece—with or without knowledge of the tragic sequel—it is clearly blown from the heart by Johnny Hodges, for whom Billy always wrote so felicitously.

U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group) was origin- ally recorded in 1956 with Willie Cook taking the trumpet solo. Three years later it was made again with Dizzy Gillespie in Cook’s exacting position. In this performance the soloist is Clark Terry on fliigelhorn.

Charpoy, Anglo-Indian for “bed,” was written after the band’s celebrated Far East tour. It features Cat Anderson play- ing with plunger mute and open horn before harmonically rich backgrounds.

After All, full of calm resignation, is another success from 1941 and another appropriate vehicle for Johnny Hodges’ sur- passing artistry.

The Intimacy of the Blues was a theme used very effectively during the Ellington engagement at New York’s Rainbow Grill in 1967. Expanded for the full band, nothing of its catchy, swinging character is lost, and both Johnny Hodges and Cat Anderson take typical solo choruses.

Rain Check, a big success from 1941, was written in Los Angeles when it was raining. It demonstrates the assurance with which Billy was already employing the band’s resources. John Sanders, another welcome guest, and Paul Gonsalves assume the roles originally assigned to Juan Tizol and Ben Webster. Day-Dream was the first big success that Billy Strayhorn

designed for Johnny Hodges, who obviously appreciated the greater length this version afforded him. Like Charpoy and The Intimacy of the Blues, it was made at bassist Jeff Castle- man’s first recording session with the Ellington band.

Rock Skippin’ at the Blue Note celebrated, in 1951, the Chicago club that was one of Ellington’s preferred venues. Not previously available in this country in LP form, this tangy version gives solo opportunities to Cootie Williams, John Sanders and Jimmy Hamilton.

All Day Long dates from 1954 and is also relatively little known. Cat Anderson is again the soloist (with plunger mute), and there is excellent writing for the formidable reed section.

Lotus Blossom was made at the end of a session when the musicians were talking and packing up their instruments. Luckily, the mike was still in position and the tape ready to roll when Ellington sat down at the piano. The studio quieted down as the feeling came through.

“That is what he most liked to hear me play,” Duke said afterwards. STANLEY DANCE

BILLY STRAYHORN Poor little Sweet Pea, Billy Strayhorn, William Thomas Strayhorn, the biggest human being who ever lived, a man with the greatest courage, the most ma- jestic artistic stature, a highly skilled musician whose impeccable taste commanded the respect of all musi- cians and the admiration of all listeners.

His audience at home and abroad marveled at the grandeur of his talent and the mantle of tonal suprem- acy that he wore only with grace. He was a beautiful human being, adored by a wide range of friends—rich, poor, famous and unknown. Great artists pay homage to Billy Strayhorn’s God-given ability and mastery of his craft. Because he had a rare sensitivity and applied himself to his gifts, he successfully married melody, words and harmony, equating the fitting with happi- ness.

His greatest virtue, I think, was his honesty—not only to others but to himself. His listening-hearing self was totally intolerant of his writing-playing self when, or if, any compromise was expected, or con- sidered expedient. Condescension did not exist in the mind of Billy Strayhorn.

He spoke English perfectly and French very well. He demanded freedom of expression and lived in what we consider the most important of moral freedoms: freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from all self-pity (even throughout all the pain and bad news); freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might help another more than it might help himself; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel he was better than his brother or neighbor.

His patience was incomparable and unlimited. He had no aspirations to enter into any kind of competi- tion, yet the legacy he leaves, his oeuvre, will never be less than the ultimate on the highest plateau of culture (whether by comparison or not).

God bless Billy Strayhorn.

DUKE ELLINGTON

May 31, 1967

© 1968, RCA, New York, N.Y. ¢ Printed in U.S.A.

Mono LPM-3906

Stereo LSP-3906

«,.AND HIS MOTHER CALLED HIM BILL”

Duke Ellington

and His Orchestra Produced by Brad McCuen

@ “HIS MASTER'S VOICE”

RCA VICTOR

SIDE 1

SNIBOR** (4:16)

BOO-DAH*® (3:25)

BLOOD COUNT? «:16)

U.M.M.G.* (3:09)

CHARPOY?7? (3:05)

AFTER ALL** (3:28)

SIDE 2

THE INTIMACY OF THE BLUES? @:55)

RAIN CHECK® (4:34)

DAY-DREAM? (4:18)

ROCK SKIPPIN’ AT THE BLUE NOTE® «2:59) _

ALL DAY LONG*® (2:56)

LOTUS BLOSSOMA «:52) Public performance clearance—ASCAP

Personnel: *Duke Ellington, piano Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herbie Jones,

Cootie Williams, trumpets ee Clark Terry, fliigelhorn Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, trombones Chuck Connors, bass trombone Johnny Hodges, alto sax Russell Procope, alto sax and clarinet Jimmy Hamilton, tenor sax and clarinet Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax Harry Carney, baritone sax and clarinet Aaron Bell, bass Steve Little, drums

Recorded in RCA Victor’s Studio A, New York City, August 28, 1967 +Same as *, but without Clark Terry @Same as +, but with John Sanders, valve trombone, added.

New York City, August 30, 1967 A Duke Ellington, piano. New York City, August 30, 1967 **Same as ¢. New York City, September 1, 1967 ++Same asf, but Jeff Castleman, bass, and Sam Woodyard,

drums, replacing Bell and Little. San Francisco, November 16, 1967

Recording Engineer: Ed Begley

DYNAGRUOVE Dynagroove records are the product of RCA Victor’s newly developed system of recording which provides a spectacular improvement in the sound quality. x

CHARACTERISTICS: | a 1. Brilliance and clarity—the original sound in startling defini-

tion

2. Realistic presence—sound projected in ‘“‘photographic’’ per- spective

3. Full-bodied tone—even when you listen at low level

4. Surface noise virtually eliminated!

5. Inner-groove distortion virtually eliminated!

To solve these old and obstinate problems in disc recording,

highly ingenious computers—‘‘electronic brains’ —have been introduced to audio for the first time. These remarkable new electronic devices and processes grew out of an intense research program which produced notable advances in virtually every

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The final test of any record is in the listening—compare the sound of Dynagroove recordings!

Dynagroove recordings are mastered on RCA Magnetic Tape.