Strayhorn

[strey-hawrn]

noun

1. William Billy, 1915–67, U.S. jazz pianist and composer: collaborator with Duke Ellington.

Strayhorn

/ ˈstreɪˌhɔːn /

noun

1. Billy, full name William Strayhorn. 1915–67, US jazz composer and pianist, noted esp for his association (1939–67) with Duke Ellington

Example Sentences

Langston Hughes’s poems were featured on posters in my local library, and everybody knew Duke Ellington because of his signature tune, “Take the A Train,” written by Billy Strayhorn.

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Davis mentions a dazzling array of influences from other great African American composers as well, such as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Charles Mingus and McCoy Tyner.

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Its release, in 1960, also suggested an interesting switch in power dynamics between arranger and arranged: The original cover art gave Ellington, Strayhorn and Tchaikovsky the same billing.

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Like Strayhorn and Comstock’s arrangements before, Kinoshi’s score is based in jazz.

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The particular arrangement of the "Waltz of the Flowers" featured at the White House is from a 1960 album of jazz renditions of "The Nutcracker Suite" by Duke Ellington and his band, with arrangements by his long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn.

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