Billy Strayhorn
Although Billy Strayhorn was considered by many to be Duke
Ellington's musical superior, his refusal to stay in the closet forced
him to take a back seat. Central to the jazz movement,
Strayhorn infused his compositions with complex harmonies and plenty of soul.
His willful obscurity brought him much pain, but it also served to fuel his
creativity and boundless talent.
Strayhorn's recently published biography, Lush
Life, fills in many gaps left by previous accounts of his life and work.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1915, Strayhorn proved his musical prowess early on
in life. Soon after graduating high school he composed his first revue: a
precocious effort colored in shades of Gershwin. In 1938 he wowed Ellington
with a gifted rendition of Ellington's own Sophisticated Lady. Thus began a collaborative
friendship -- and a career mostly overshadowed by Ellington's fame -- that
lasted almost until Strayhorn's untimely death from cancer in 1967.
The shy and unassuming Strayhorn paid dearly for being openly gay, but
his genius and integrity are an inspiration to this day. Orchestras still
perform classics penned by him, like "Chelsea Bridge" and "Take the 'A'
Train." And his contemporaries remember him as anyone would want to be
remembered: talented, loving, and brave.
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