November 29, 2015 will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Billy Strayhorn, pianist and composer, and often unsung hero of American jazz. Frequently eclipsed by the imposing shadow of his legendary mentor, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn nonetheless penned numerous classics of the Great American Songbook, including Lush Life, Chelsea Bridge, Daydream, and of course, the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s biggest hit, Take The “A” Train, based on the directions Ellington had given Strayhorn on how to get his apartment. Strayhorn’s life also makes for a fascinating story. He originally aspired to be a classical pianist and composer, and enrolled in the Pittsburgh Musical Institute towards that end. Yet it was there that he was explicitly discouraged from that career path by his professors, who told him, perhaps correctly, that there was simply no future for a black man in classical music. For his entire life, until his premature death from esophageal cancer at age 51, Strayhorn would be faced with similar barriers, whether it was trying to emerge from Ellington’s shadow, or dealing with being an openly gay African-American musician at a time when such a thing was virtually unheard of.
Sean Lane (piano) and Seth Kibel (clarinet, saxophone, flute) are two of the Mid-Atlantic’s leading jazz musicians, performing regularly in leading venues such as The Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, Blues Alley, and more. Between the two of them, they’ve released almost a dozen award-winning jazz recordings, and toured the country from New York to New Orleans. Seth has won a total of 25 Washington Area Music Awards (“Wammies”) including six nods as “Best Jazz Instrumentalist.”
This concert will feature Sean and Seth with a variety of musical collaborators, highlighting many of Strayhorn’s compositions, from his well-known hits to little-known musical gems. Historical commentary will provide an insightful context for Strayhorn’s music.
$10