CIA Duo: Satin Doll – A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn
14.04.17
Satin Doll – A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn.
Released on Playscape Recordings, April 2017.
CIA Nu Duo
Peter Madsen: Piano
Oliver Rath: Guitar
Reviews
All About Jazz review by C. Michael Bailey, published on March 23, 2017
Music Zoom review by Vittoria, published on May 14, 2017 (in Italian)
Liner notes
Most people know of the great Duke Ellington, but if you asked those same people who Billy Strayhorn was, most would have no clue. Many people are familiar with standard tunes such as “Take the A Train” and “Satin Doll” and some would even say they were composed by Duke Ellington, however they would be wrong as these and many other songs attributed to the great Duke were actually mostly or completely written and often arranged by the equally great unsung genius composer/arranger Billy Strayhorn. It is to this under- ground magnificent composer I dedicate this recording.
I love the compositions of Billy Strayhorn and of course he doesn’t need me to change his music at all, but as many of you who have listened to my music know, I am also part of this musical underground and I often like to explore new musical ideas. So I decided to put my own twist on Strayhorn’s great music and rearrange some of his classics. Check out the reharmonized “Satin Doll” in 11/8 or “Chelsea Bridge” in a Brazilian 7/4 groove or my crazy deranged “Take the A Train!.”
I reharmonized “Passion Flower” playing it in 5/4, turned “Johnny Come Lately” into an out stride version and redid “Day Dream” in 3/4 and so much more!