Duke Ellington - Take the "A" Train [1939]

Classic Mood Experience The best masterpieces ever recorded in the music history. "Take the &Train" is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. The use of the Strayhorn composition as the signature tune was made necessary by a ruling in 1940 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). When ASCAP raised its licensing fees for broadcast use, many ASCAP members, including Ellington, could no longer play their compositions over radio, as most music was played live on radio at the time. Ellington turned to Billy Strayhorn and son Mercer Ellington, who were registered with ASCAP competitor BMI to "write a whole new book for the band," Mercer recalled. "&Train" was one of many tunes written by Strayhorn, and was picked to replace "Sepia Panorama" as the band&signature song. Mercer recalled that he found the composition in a trash can after Strayhorn discarded a draft of it because it sounded too much like a Fletcher Henderson arrangement. The song was first recorded on January 15, 1941 as a standard transcription for radio broadcast. The first (and most famous) commercial recording was made on February 15, 1941. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 -- May 24, 1974) was a USA composer, pianist and bandleader of jazz-orchestras. His career spanned over 50 years, leading his orchestra from 1923 until death. Listen to the best of Classic Mood Experience: