He composed it in his head at a party, and then put it all on paper when he was done. "Take the 'A' Train" first written in 1939 by Billy Strayhorn, a jazz standard by Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. The Netflix film is written and directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, adapted from Paula Hawkings' novel. © Copyright 2018 - Learn Jazz Standards, LLC, Bending the Blue Notes-Guest Post by Andrew Meronek. She performed the song numerous times during her long association with Ellington and it also appears on her 1957 critically acclaimed album, This song was used in several films including. Take the "A" Train Sheet Music, 1952. Check out his music at www.camdenhughesmusic.com. Jazz Sheet Music. The song was already receiving radio play as an instrumental when Sherrill wrote lyrics based on what she heard in her home in Detroit. Strayhorn had played for Ellington after a show in Pittsburgh in 1938. Think of Take the "A" Train with a contemporary flair and you have the idea behind this inventive chart by Alan Baylock. My source for this paragraph is History and Tradition of Jazz by Thomas E. Larson, which was the textbook for a "History of Jazz" course I took this past semester. You have entered an incorrect email address! Opening in a swing groove then alternating with a funk feel, bari sax, bass trombone, guitar and bass have the initial melodic statement in this terrific chart. Camden is a working jazz pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator currently living near Boise, ID. There are no reviews written for Take the 'A' Train. After Cher revived "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" in 1990, Salt-N-Pepa released "Shoop" and Whitney Houston had a #1 hit with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop).". The “A” train provided New Yorkers the quickest way to Harlem when that was the locus … A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs, This song was written by Billy Strayhorn, who played piano and wrote arrangements for Duke Ellington's band. Fans of the song the song are undoubtedly familiar with the trumpet solo performed by Ray Nance. He said all of his most meaningful work was written this way. Billy Strayhorn, future Duke’s right hand man, was said to have written the piece after Ellington had offered him a job as a writer, arranger and piano man , sending money for him to travel from Pittsburgh to New York and then up to Ellington’s apartment in Sugar Hill. He mimicked the orchestra's rendition of "Sophisticated Lady," then boldly played his own version. With Delta Rhythm Boys, Lee Gaines, Carl Jones. Take the 'A' Train Lyrics: “Take the ‘A’ Train” is a Duke Ellington composition written by Billy Strayhorn.Artists who have re-interpreted and performed the standard include Ella Fitzgerald. Bob Marley gave the songwriting credit for "No Woman No Cry" to his friend Vincent Ford, who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown, the area of Kingston where Marley grew up. If you want to ignite your jazz skills with 10 in-depth studies of jazz standards that will help you take your jazz harmony knowledge to the next level, join our LJS Inner Circle membership, where you'll get access to our "Jazz Standards Playbook" courses, monthly jazz standard studies, and all of our premium courses. Learn how your comment data is processed. Arranged by Michael Sweeney. The tune became the signature number for Duke Ellington and his orchestra, as well as the official song of New York City. The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take. Strayhorn recalled that the song that became the signature opening piece for Duke Ellington and his Orchestra came to him with very little effort. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Think of Take the "A" Train with a contemporary flair and you have the idea behind this inventive chart by Alan Baylock. Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts. It was so easy for … The song, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood on July 25, 1966, and was already on the Boss Hit Bounds on August 17, 1966. He invented a new way to play "Take the A Train," using the violin and accompanied on piano by Dr. Billy Taylor in 1967. 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. The two men performed the normally uptempo song as a slow funeral march. This score is from a re-orchestration of "A" Train for a 1952 recording date that featured singer Betty Roche and saxophonist Paul Gonsalves. On February 15, 1941, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra went into the RCA-Victor recording studios in Hollywood to record some of the Mercer Ellington and Billy Strayhorn compositions. The line "satellite of love" in the Def Leppard song "Rocket" came from the title of a 1972 Lou Reed song. When "Theme From Shaft" won an Oscar, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win in the "Best Song" category. Strayhorn originally thought it sounded too much like a Fletcher Henderson arrangement. Theme and improvisation on a 1940's jazz classic by Billy Strayhorn, made popular by Duke Ellington. Strayhorn originally thought it sounded too much like a Fletcher Henderson arrangement. "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog features Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder, and was Vedder's first music video. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Take the 'A' Train - Charles Mingus on AllMusic - 2006 - Essentially, this is the complete set of Mingus… It was quite difficult for me to assign a form to this piece and identify various sections, because one of the main elements of Jazz is improvisation. Ellington was so impressed, it eventually led to an invitation to Ellington's home in the wealthy Sugar Hill neighborhood. He said the "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" line just came into his head after having a drink of wine. Ellington’s son, Mercer, recalled that he found A Train in the trash. 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. "Take the A Train" was composed by Strayhorn in 1941. However, Nance's solo is the definitive one and Ellington said that no trumpet player can play the song without borrowing from what Nance offered. Besides Strayhorn’s “Take The ‘A’ Train and “After All” there was Mercer’s “Jumpin’ Punkins,” “John … Hoyt Axton wrote the Three Dog Night hit "Joy To The World." Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Take The A Train Composed by Billy Strayhorn. Ellington turned to Billy Strayhorn and son Mercer Ellington, who were registered with ASCAP competitor BMIto "write a whole n… In order to write a review on digital sheet music you must first have purchased the item. Chuck Mangione, Don Cherry, Maynard Ferguson, Al Hirt, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughn performing Take The A Train. The story of how Duke Ellington’s signature tune, Take The ‘A’ Train was written is a classic. 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, came more quickly than the subject of the song itself – the New York subway line to the Sugar Hill District of Harlem. The occasion was the memorial service for Strayhorn and so much was the song intertwined with both Strayhorn and Ellington, it was performed at Ellington's memorial, too, seven years later. "Take the A train" was played at both Strayhorn's and Ellington's funerals and is the legacy of both jazz musicians. Does he have beef with Gaga? Lyrics Artists: E Ella Fitzgerald Take The "A" Train About Take The "A" Train lyrics Album Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Duke Ellington Song Book, Vol. Please create an article for Take Five, you make the best backing tracks and chord charts around! Directed by Duke Goldstone. The song Take the "A" Train was written by Billy Strayhorn and was first released by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra in 1941. Take The A Train was written in 1939 by Billy Strayhorn for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. When ASCAP raised its licensing fees for broadcast use, many ASCAP members, including Ellington, could no longer play their compositions over radio, as most music was played live on radio at the time. Parineeti Chopra-starrer The Girl on the Train is all set for release on 26 February. Take the A Train is written from Doc’s point of view, and the decision was an appropriate one. For Jazz Ensemble. Ellington and Strayhorn sometimes playfully gave their manuscripts pseudonyms as titles; here La Tram stands for Take the "A" Train. SKU: MN0093650 Take The A Train was written in 1939 by Billy Strayhorn for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The title refers to the, at the time, new A train service in New York City. Uploaded 8 years ago See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition. Davi at jwpepper.com. It is frowned upon in jazz, which prides itself as an improvisational style of music, to repeat an ad-libbed solo. Ohh!! More songs with methods of transportation in the title, Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics), Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs. Watch the video for Take The "A" Train from Duke Ellington's The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? Nance was also an accomplished violinist. He was born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington, D.C., on April 29, 1899, into a middle- class black family. Obviously the main difference between these two paragraphs is when "Take the A … Publishing administered by: Reservoir Media Management It was released on August 16, 1966, and later included on the group's self-titled album, which was released on October 10, 1966. Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump. This very special, historic publication is an exact transcription 1 (1958) Duke Ellington’s signature song, “Take the A Train” was written by Billy Strayhorn. This is the beginning of the seventh chorus. dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam. Lots of life lessons in these Eagles lyrics - can you match them to the correct song? Ella Fitzgerald has the most well known of the song's recordings, with the first coming in 1957. By Billy Strayhorn / arr. "Take the A Train" was written by a kid who lived in Pittsburgh named Billy Strayhorn. Ellington’s son, Mercer, recalled that he found A Train in the trash. He teaches music at the Idaho Arts Charter School, and is the jazz adjunct professor at Northwest Nazarene University. It was covered by JoJo Swingband, Louis Jordan, The Paul Hemmings Uketet, Charlie Norman and other artists. Duke Ellington was one of the most important creative forces in the music of the twentieth century. 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, came more quickly than the subject of the song itself – the New York subway line to the Sugar Hill District of Harlem. It was so easy for him, he said it was "like writing a letter to a friend.". With music written by long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn, “Take the ‘A’ Train” became Duke Ellington’s signature piece and remains an enduring swing-era jazz classic. After a show in Pittsburgh in 1938, Strayhorn played a piece for Ellington. This tune is most commonly played in the key of C major. Print and download lead sheets for Take the 'A' Train composed by Billy Strayhorn Includes complete lyrics in Ab Major (transposable). Alan Baylock. Buy Take the A Train by Billy Strayhorn/trans. This tune became a signature piece of the Ellington Orchestra and is one of the most famous works that the Strayhorn/Ellington collaboration produced. 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). The title refers to the, at the time, new A train service in New York City. Using the subway directions that Ellington gave him, Strayhorn wrote, "Take the A Train." Opening up in a swing groove, then alternating with a funk feel, bari sax, bass 'bone, guitar and bass have the initial melodic statement in this The song eventually became a signature opening piece for Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. "Last Train to Clarksville" was the debut single by the Monkees. The song was inspired by directions that Ellington gave Strayhorn to his place in Harlem upon offering him a job working for the orchestra. His influence on classical music, popular music, and, of course, jazz, simply cannot be overstated. The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper. The song “Take the A Train” was written by a man named Billy Strayhorn. Strayhorn played piano and wrote arrangements for Duke Ellington’s band. First recorded in 1941. Wednesday, February 4, 2009 "Take The A Train" - Duke Ellington, 1939 (swing jazz) In 1939, pianist Billy Strayhorn wrote a song that would soon become the national anthem of the New York City subway transit system.