Jazz's Great Songwriting Teams - S02E15

A look at jazz’s legendary songwriting teams who stand behind some of the most popular standards of our day, and a look at that special duo who created one of the most unique big band sounds of the era. We’ll talk with Billy Strayhorn biographer David Hajdu about Ellington and Strayhorn’s deep personal and musical relationship, take a look at what made the Gershwin Brothers tick, and explore why jazzers are still fascinated with the music of legendary Tin Pan Alley duo Rogers and Hart. 

Episode Transcript

Host: Jeff Haas

Guests: David Hajdu, Kevin Cole, Kurt Elling

Music

• Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn “Chelsea Bridge”
• Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn “Take the ‘A’ Train”
• Ella Fitzgerald “This Can’t Be Love”
• Ella Fitzgerald “Manhattan”
• Miles Davis “My Funny Valentine”
• Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan “The Lady is a Tramp”
• Billie Holiday “A Foggy Day”
• Oscar Peterson Trio “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
• Lambert, Hendricks & Ross “Blues Backstage”
• Eddie Jefferson “Body and Soul”
• Charlie Parker “Parker’s Mood”
• Eddie Jefferson “Parker's Mood (Bless My Soul)”
• Lambert, Hendricks & Ross “Two for the Blues”
• Kurt Elling “Tanya Jean”
• Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn “Passion Flower”
• Billy Strayhorn “Lush Life”

Original Air Date: June 1, 2012

Radio broadcast produced by Lou Blouin and Jeff Haas

Radio broadcast audio engineering by Jack Conners and Brock Mormon

Podcast audio remastering by Sam Boase-Miller

Transcripts by Erik Saras

Theme Song: Jeff Haas Trio & Friends “Giving In”

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The New Jazz Archive radio broadcasts originally sponsored by Chateau Chantal. The New Jazz Archive receives no revenue from podcast reissues of radio broadcasts.