thurs 25.01.

21:00 Tribute: ... And his Mother Called Him Bill - Two of a Mind - Duke Ellington & his Orchestra Play the Music of Billy Strayhorn

Lotus Blossom Hannes Strasser Snibor Christoph Cech Boo-Dah Bumi Fian Blood Count Max Nagl U.M.M.G. Florian Bramböck Charpoy Wolfgang Mitterer After All Wolfgang Puschnig The Intimacy Of The Blues Andy Manndorff Rain Check Hans Steiner Day-Dream Renald Deppe Rock Skippin' At The Blue Note Christian Muthspiel All Day Long Klaus Dickbauer Poor Little Sweet Pea, Billy Strayhorn, William Thomas Strayhorn, the biggest human being who ever lived, a man with the greatest courage, the most majestic artistic stature, a highly skilled musician whose impeccable taste commanded the respect of all musicians and the administration of all listeners. His audience at home and abroad marveled at the grandeur of his talent and the mantle of tonal supremacy that he wore only with grace. He was a beautiful human being, adored by a wide range of friends - rich, poor, famous and unknown. Great artists pay homage to Billy Strayhorn's God-given ability and mastery of his craft. Because he had a rare sensitivity and applied himself to his gifts, he successfully married melody, words and harmony, equating the fitting with happiness. His greatest virtue, I think, was his honesty - not only to others but to himself. His listening-hearing self was totally intolerant of his writing-playing self when, or if, any compromise was expected, or considered expedient. Condescension did not exist in the mind of Billy Strayhorn. He spoke English perfectly and French very well. He demanded freedom of expression and lived in what we consider the most important of moral freedoms: freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity (even throughout all the pain and bad news): freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might help another more than it might help himself, and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel he was better than his brother or neighbor. His patience was incomparable and unlimited. He had no aspirations to enter into any kind of competition, yet the legacy he leaves, his oeuvre, will never be less than the ultimate on the highest plateau of culture (whether by comparison or not) God bless Billy Strayhorn Duke Ellington, May 31, 1967 Duke Ellington-...and his mother called him Bill rec. 28th.& 30th. Aug., 1st. Sept. & 15th Nov. 1967 Line Up: Duke Ellington: piano; Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Cootie Williams: trumpet; Clark Terry: flugelhorn; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper: trombone; Chuck Connors: bass trombone; John Sanders: valve trombone; Johnny Hodges: alto saxophone; Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton: alto saxophone and clarinet; Paul Gonsalves: tenor saxophone; Harry Carney: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Aaron Bell, Jeff Castleman: bass, Steve Little, Sam Woodyard: drums

Admission: ATS 200.- PORGY & BESS, SPIEGELGASSE 2, 1010 WIEN, TEL: 512 84 38