A world premiere for this specially-curated show which celebrates the enormous, but to a large extent untold, story of the Billy Strayhorn’s songwriting and his lyrical genius. The show features special guest vocalists China Moses and Alexander Stewart, narrator Sirena Riley, and the Frank Griffith Nonet.
‘Strayhorn the Songwriter’ is a joyous journey through the musical legacy of Duke Ellington’s arranger and co-composer, Billy ‘Sweet Pea’ Strayhorn (1915-1967). The programme includes little-known songs alongside classics like Take the A Train, Satin Doll and Lush Life, and new lyrics for several classic instrumentals, all in exciting new arrangements. Openly gay, and an outspoken supporter of Black Civil Rights in the US, Strayhorn was a man ahead of his time....
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A world premiere for this specially-curated show which celebrates the enormous, but to a large extent untold, story of the Billy Strayhorn’s songwriting and his lyrical genius. The show features special guest vocalists China Moses and Alexander Stewart, narrator Sirena Riley, and the Frank Griffith Nonet.
‘Strayhorn the Songwriter’ is a joyous journey through the musical legacy of Duke Ellington’s arranger and co-composer, Billy ‘Sweet Pea’ Strayhorn (1915-1967). The programme includes little-known songs alongside classics like Take the A Train, Satin Doll and Lush Life, and new lyrics for several classic instrumentals, all in exciting new arrangements. Openly gay, and an outspoken supporter of Black Civil Rights in the US, Strayhorn was a man ahead of his time.
During his years with Ellington, Strayhorn became so closely involved with the bandleader’s work that his subsequent contributions and arrangements were often misattributed to the Duke. During the same period – more than two decades - many of his songs were re-invented as instrumentals for the Ellington band, while the songs he wrote for others, significantly Lena Horne, have been almost forgotten.
This celebration uses radical new arrangements of Strayhorn songs by Frank Griffith’s Nonet, and some new lyrics by songwriter Alex Webb, to tell the story of this hugely-gifted and quietly heroic figure’s life in Ellington’s shadow, who Quincy Jones described as, “the boss of the arrangers”.
US vocalist, lyricist and radio presenter Sirena Riley narrates the story of this remarkable man. Riley is a London-based vocalist, lyricist and voice-over artist from Washington, DC. Her debut album The Lunatic, the Lover and the Poet was released in 2009 on independent label, Remigrant Records. In addition to many radio and musical theatre projects, Sirena is currently writing the libretto for an original jazz/contemporary classical opera. More on Sirena Riley: www.myspace.com/sirenariley
Vocals are shared by two rising stars of the jazz vocal world. China Moses is a jazz and blues celebrity in her native France and daughter of the great Dee Dee Bridgewater. A presenter on MTV France as well as an author, songwriter and producer, China prizes her eclecticism. Her late father, Gilbert Moses, was a committed television and film director responsible for series like Roots and the cult film Willy Dynamite. Moses made three albums in the soul and rock genres and has subsequently collaborated with Me’shell Ndegeocello, Etienne de Crécy, Guru, Camille and others; she is now a Blue Note recording artist and has had a major European success with her tribute show and CD for Dinah Washington, This One’s For Dinah. More on China Moses: www.myspace.com/thisonesfordinah
Alexander Stewart is one of the most exciting young male vocalists on the UK jazz scene. Born in Manchester in 1987, he has appeared on stage with Buddy Greco and Curtis Stigers – in a concert from the Cheltenham Jazz Festival broadcast live by BBC Radio 2 - and on ITV1s Alan Titchmarsh Show. He has recently been collaborating with songwriter Alex Webb as well as some of the UK’s finest musicians, including Gary Crosby, Denys Baptiste and Nathaniel Facey. ”Anyone interested in a star-hopefully-in-the-making, should high-tail it to see him”, said Cabaret Scenes magazine recently. More on Alexander Stewart: www.myspace.com/alexanderstewartmusic
A note on the show’s creators:
Frank Griffith was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1959 and has worked as a saxophonist with Ron Carter, Jon Hendricks and Jack McDuff and in the orchestras of Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mel Lewis, Buddy Rich and Mel Torme. As a composer/arranger Frank has contributed music to the Ron Carter Nonet, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, the Jon Hendricks Explosion and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra. Since moving to the UK he has had commissions from the Coventry and Ealing Jazz Festivals, Cardinal Vaughan School Big Band and the Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra. He has been Director of Performance at Brunel University since 1997 and taught annually at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops from 1996-2006. Griffith collaborated frequently with Sir John Dankworth, including playing on his last CD release Jazz Matters on the Qnote label.
The Frank Griffith Nonet was formed in 1997 and have released 2 CDs, Live, Ealing Jazz Festival, 2000 and The Coventry Suite. They perform regularly throughout the UK including venues like Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express Dean Street and the Ealing Jazz Festival. The group includes leading UK jazz figures like Henry Lowther, Adrian Fry, Paul Clarvis, Mark Hodgson and Tim Lapthorn, among others.
www.frankgriffith.co.uk
Alex Webb is a songwriter and pianist whose works have been performed by some of the leading UK jazz singers including Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw, Alexia Gardner, Juliet Kelly, Nicola Emmanuelle and Alexander Stewart.
www.myspace.com/alexwebbproject
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