Independent Lens "BILLY STRAYHORN: LUSH LIFE" | Preview| PBS

[brandojazz]

I love this guy (more his music than him I guess...). His music.....exquisite, love it!!!

[archermanful]

Wrong grammar also.

[MarlonNdecatur]

Try Netflix for the whole documentary. Billy was an amazing cat. I first heard Lush Life recorded by Nat King Cole and was stunned to learn that a boy of 16 years of age had written the song. There was no doubt in my mind at the time that the person that wrote it would have had to be gay to have such insight and wisdom beyond his years. God seems to bless us that way so that we are able to survive.

[homePicShow1]

where can i see the whole documentary?

[JazzMaestra]

By all means buy and read David Hadju's "Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn." I love this man!!

[josephredbagger]

Billy Strayhorn was a beautiful cat...in many ways. Still overlooked and underated. His sophistication was at a level few will ever achieve.

Who cares if he was gay or not! As a musician, we just will keep paying him respect by playing his tunes. Lush Life has got to be one of the greatest jazz compositions ever...and the lyrics! My God, what sophistication! Everyone genuflect and pay respects to Mr. Strayhorn!

[FRAT99Po]

What a legend!

[AshtonPark]

@TheReturnOfStephan

"Your constant judgement of & refusal to have any compassion for someone who created so much beauty in such difficult circumstances is a pretty good indicator that there's something "going on" w/in you & you're just projected said issue(s) onto Mr. Strayhorn."

It is amazing just how perfect your knowledge is of this person (cavaleer) whom you have never met - and of course your attitudes do not constitute any thing resembling judgement - lol.

[tigerchief]

is that urkel in the first pic?

[laracubi]

Too bad Mr. Cavaleer cannot let go of

his need to sit in "judgement" over Billy Strayhorn...

Hindsight always seems to be 20/20, doesn't it....

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Obviously, you haven't seen the documentary. After you do, then, maybe, you can have a point of view on this topic, hopefully, without all of the riduculous judgementality of your previous comment.

In the history of the music business, there are TONS of people who were not allowed out of stifling contracts., etc., in order to work with others.

As for his personal life, when you live just one day of his life in that time, THEN, and only then, can you possibly judge it.

Grow.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

The invitation was sent by mistake.

[cavaleer]

If he was indeed under contract with Duke and Dukes refused to allow him out of the contract, well, that's extraordinarily disgraceful to Duke. Unbelievably disappointing. However, my judgement of him as weak I'll retain until I see something to make me think otherwise. If Duke did in fact attempt to repress his growth, that's on Strayhorn to let nothing stand in his way. This is after all, his life and work, his breath. If he or anyone else let something prevent them from obtaining.....

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Again, it's obvious that you haven't seen this documentary...or been under contract. Many people wouldn't go near Strayhorn for fear of being sued by DE.

What's 'extraordinarily disgraceful' is your need to pass judgement on a complete stranger, who, btw, has added more beauty & positivity to the world than most can ever dream of.

For the record, you couldn't do what he did, as you've never HAD TO make that choice.

Compassion, not superficial judgementality, is what's called for here.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

All of that stated, most people in Billy Strayhorn's position did exactly as he did, as it was standard practice for the bandleader to take credit for the work of others under contract to them, &, Duke Ellington, according to this documentary, was no different.

Anyone powerful enough to bypass ASCAP, esp. in those days, knew exactly what he was doing...on all levels.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Looks like you may be dealing w/ some serious issues...

Instead of trying to project them onto Mr. Strayhorn, resolve them.

Once you find compassion for yourself, you'll have no desire to judge others.:)

[cavaleer]

Look, this entire episode is a grand tragedy. What I would like for you to explain to me is how Strayhorn was working with Lena Horne and others near the end of his life? Did Duke approve of those collaboration and projects and disapprove of others?? It just doesn't add up. As for my personal issues, there are none, other than a refusal to let anything stand in the way of my growth and achievement. And the "countless others" are the thousands of cats who created Jazz, against all the odds.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Again, you have to watch this doc. It has ALL of the answers. Stay & Horne met, IIRC, while he was in LA w/ DE & she really became attached to him. They drew even closer while working in the south w/ Medgar Evers on Civil Rights issues, etc., but, I don't recall if she'd ever recorded any of his songs other than what was used at CR events.

Please name some of those "countless others" who were in circumstances similar to Mr. Strayhorn, yet, reacted differently.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Your constant judgement of & refusal to have any compassion for someone who created so much beauty in such difficult circumstances is a pretty good indicator that there's something "going on" w/in you & you're just projected said issue(s) onto Mr. Strayhorn.

It's really quite easy for you to sit here, in 2009, & judge someone else's choices which were made at a time when he did not have the freedoms which you take for granted now.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

It is because precisely BECAUSE OF what Mr. Strayhorn-amongst others-went through, both professionally & personally, that the laws & society have now changed to the point where you, now, have the freedoms to do as you please, so, perhaps, just perhaps, the best thing for you to do, in this case, is, instead of judging him, show some grace & gratitude for the man, who went through tremendous difficulties so that you wouldn't have to.

A simple, "Thanks, Mr. Strayhorn.", will suffice, I am sure.:)

[cavaleer]

I just read the Wiki bio on Strayhorn and it paints the picture to be more gray than black and white. It seems that Strayhorn at first may have needed Ellington's shield, so to speak, but gradually wanted to break out of it. Also, his gay advocacy seemed to play a serious role in public matters as well. How much have they left out or overlooked??

[cavaleer]

Like I said, if Duke knowingly obstructed Strayhorn's growth and development, it is the ultimate disgrace and stain on his name and legend. Just tragic, tragic, tragic.

[laracubi]

"Ditto"

[cavaleer]

Their goal, they have nothing to look at but the mirror. And if Strayhorn drank himself to death out of frustration, it's tragic but at the end of the day he simply did not have the fortitude to take control of his life. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. And I know this from life and GROWTH, and from watching countless others do exactly what Strayhorn did not. And for the record, I could never imagine being in his shoes and doing what he did.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Strayhorn drank for the same reasons so many others drank back then...and now.

If it's frustration, so be it.

Those were HIS reasons & he's entitled to them &, as he wasn't hurting anyone else, he doesn't need anyone's approval or judgement.

"Countless others"?

Hardly.

There are very few, if any, in his position, who did what he did not, or could have.

[stillphil]

Pure Ellington = Strayhorn.

[israelight1]

Check out Lotus Blossum played by the Duke but composed by Billy Strayhorn

[TheReturnOfStephan]

I just saw this bio a few hours ago & I LOVED IT!!

I had no idea that he wrote "Lush Life" when we was JUST 16 YEARS OLD!!

C'mon, how could DE NOT be threatened by someone that incredibly talented? He clearly was. It's a real shame that it's taken almost 50 years for BS to FINALLY get his due recognition for his genius, & that's what he was.

What's really amazing about "A Train" is that he'd THROWN IT AWAY & DE's son fished it out of the garbage & presented it to his father...

Go fig...

[cavaleer]

I think that may give a hint to the nature of the situation. Strayhorn was a very gifted pianist and composer to some degree but he may not have "heard" the potential of songs the way Ellington did. Plus, Duke already had his sound and ear, so it's difficult to tell whether Duke influence and absorbed Strayhorn or vice versa. At some point Strayhorn just needed to really break out on his own and make his own, distinct sound. To me, that's the tragedy of it. But I think he may have been afraid.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

That's just it, he did try to leave & work with other musicians, but, according to this documentary, DE would put a stop to it every time, including work with Sinatra on his own.

[kaimanapine]

Good stuff!

[willy4u4u]

billy was a lovable drunk.

[squeakysoul]

I never knew Strayhorn wrote "A train". What a wonderful song. How awful he never got any of the royalties. I also love his "Lush Life".

[FreedomUSA1]

He was a homosexual. Does that mean that sin is exuded through the expressiveness of his songs? Seriously, if he embraced a sinful lifestyle, then who are we to judge him or celebrate his music?

[8mousey8]

I hope you're being facetious. If not, you disgust me.

[FreedomUSA1]

Typical liberal only capable of personal attacks.

[8mousey8]

Personal attacks? You insinuted (rather irrelevently) that Billy Strayhorn is hell bound.

[squeakysoul]

Your comment was pure foolishness and what's more it was confusingly worded, presumptuous and insulting to Strayhorn. If that's "typical conservatism" then that's nothing to be proud of.

By the way, interesting how you responded to a perceived personal attack by making an actual personal attack. Way to go!

[mattguy309]

sounds like someone is uncomfortable about their sexuality...

[edcerc]

@mattguy309 huh? i dont even get this comment. where does anyone sound any way or say anything about their own or anyone's sexuality in this clip.

[sistalinda]

He was a great composer.

[othajr23]

Billy strayhorn the 1st great producer of great compositions for a great player....he actually wrote with his own uniqueness for duke,add dukes style u get the classics...I bet he relly took his time when reading a strayhorn pieace for the 1st time....A femininity written for the masculine a thing of beauty

[Wildkat67]

When is this going to be shown "re-run" on the New York/New Jersey PBS station? ARGHH! They broadcast it once and and I never had the chance to watch it, please show it once again, Strayhorn deserves his due!!

[TheReturnOfStephan]

It was shown earlier this evening & will be re-broadcast in the NYC area on WHYY, Sunday Feb. 22, at 4:00 AM.

[divvy1400yam600]

The fact that he wasnt a great pianist is neither here nor there.

He was a musician par excellaence. OK ?

[paulostroff99]

Duke owed so much to Billy,and got all the credit.A travesty of justice.

[waxwall]

Thanks! Anything with Billy Strayhorn in it is

worth watching.

[JohnCasey]

Thanks to the great book by David Hajdu, Billy Strayhorn began to get his due.

[Obfuskate7]

I don't have cable television and it's ok. PBS is my cable.

[60watt]

I really wish they'd show this again!! My PBS is killing me!

[redican]

Hooray! Honesty on television!! Restored my faith (at least momentarily) in the medium. This was an extraordinary human being, and I am ashamed to say I had never even heard his name. The assembly of talent interviewed was amazing, and you can see and feel the respect they had for Billy. WELL DONE.

[javrey]

Saw this last night on PBS. Thanks PBS; thanks Youtube; thanks Billy Strayhorn. The way white culture has poached black cultural production, hetero Duke Ellington poached off his gay brethren Billy. Bravo to PBS for exposing this truth unequivocally.

[scherbius]

so tiresome, so if white people embrace black culture they're 'poachers' and if the they reject it, they are simply bigots. Classic double bind. And obviously I'm a bigot too for exposing this truth "unequivocally".