Duke Ellington, Lotus Blossom (Trio) (Strayhorn)

[alexispasquier]

This is my favorite Strayhorn composition!

[arias4me]

I think this is one of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard.  Billy Strayhorn was a musical genius. The combination of Strayhorn and Ellington is magic.

[chaseyl1]

SO Pretty.

[jcracker]

god i love this song

[ronjatwo]

just saw Wynton Marsalis and lincoln center jazz orchestra do a strayhorn night. They played this song, pretty faithful to the original version. Everyone was very touched. @vascopin Thanks for the story. They closed with "Take the 'A' Train," the great Jose James on vocals. Peace.

[iampsalmbody]

Spring forth & live up in Love!

[Vagrarian]

On her CD "The Tender Trap," Janis Siegel does a version of this with lyrics, called "All Roads Lead Back to You." According to her, they were never recorded until then.

[TaterGumfries]

There's bass in the background.

[lubrimatic]

This song, along with Single Petal of a Rose, are my favorite Ellington pieces. For Lotus Blossom, I suggest you should check out Chris Potter's version on his Underground album.

[ruidozo]

Touching...

[prunellapussywuggums]

since music is the universal language---why can't we settle political scores with it?

[DYNODRUM]

@prunellapussywuggumS-Why Because,They[polittishins] have NO Rythym ,nor Perfect Pitch , or a half step behind or in front of reality or care for LIFE itself.

[tarzan73875]

haunting and beautiful

[mervyndacre]

Really amazing, so beautiful.

[da19lila38]

Billy Strayhorn wrote this marvelous piece when in hospital not long before he died of cancer.

RIP Billy. Yours was a wonderful talent and your compositions will be remembered for years and years to come.

[hobojoe9127]

I'm pretty sure Ellington's solo performance of this song was recorded as everyone was leaving, since you can hear people talking in the background.

[Vascopim]

Billy Strayhorn had just died. Duke & his men go into the studio to record some of Billy's forgotten scores. The session is over. The band is packing. Duke goes back to the piano, starts to play "Lotus Blossom" all by himself. Harry Carney unpacks his bariton and joins the Duke for the 2nd chorus. The mikes were on, someone looks on and hits the REC buttton. The tapes roll. This is how this was recorded.

[fishballs83]

@Vascopim No sh*t?

[chkjns]

@Vascopim - thanks so much for the background on this from you and the uploader, this is why I come to youtube. The music is so much more meaningful when the stories that go with it are told.

My channel is a treasury of music like this, the absolute best, from around the world. 10000 songs on 500 playlists for 300 artists, like Duke, & 111 lists for every year since 1900, so I've added this to the music of 1967 playlist as well.

[IamSparkles]

@Vascopim Hi, do you know of any written sources that mention this story? Thanks in advance!

[M4lign]

@Vascopim yep.. strayhorn had said that he liked hearing duke play this song the most. i almost teared up the first time i heard it, while a friend was telling me the story :)

[derjoerg1986]

johnny hodges is best on alto-sax

[smoothbv]

well i certain;y agree with u that johnny is the best but Harry Carney on the baritone is playing this track

[PowderSpirit3]

takes my breath away...........

aww beautiful - thankYOU

[purplel123]

oh my god, this is so beautiful! What a gem!

[rdoister]

a rare masterpiece

[battle2n]

my funeral song__________________________­__

[fredjmp]

Belíssimo!!

[brummie70]

DIVINE!

Have anyone the song "in a sentimental mood" by john coltrane & duke ellington - exactly this version? Anticipated thanks.

[Geniune1953]

Billy Strayhorn wrote one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Duke plays the song with such a passion and intensity. One of my favorite songs of all times.

[RThornhill69]

This song seems to belong on piano. I've heard other versions and nothing compares.

[Jazzman303]

Billy Strayhorn... Best Song Writer Ever... He made oh so many beautiful...

[mgaitens]

This must be one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

[mathtimms]

Piano at its' best...!

[art6000]

magnifique!!!!

[dazzzzzzz]

thanks, i've been looking all over for this piece, one of ellingtons best in my opinion. cant seem to get the album anywhere anymore these days.