Take the A Train
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| Take the A Train | |
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| Name | Take the A Train |
| Artist | Duke Ellington Orchestra |
| Written | 1939 |
| Composer | Billy Strayhorn |
| Genre | Swing, Big Band |
| Published | 1941 |
| Label | Victor, Brunswick |
| Length | 3:03 (original) |
Take the A Train "Take the A Train" is a 1939 jazz standard composed by Billy Strayhorn and popularized by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The composition became the signature tune of Duke Ellington and a defining work of the Swing era, profoundly influencing big band repertoire and jazz orchestration throughout the 20th century. It remains widely performed and recorded by artists across genres and appears frequently in film, television, and advertising.
Background and Composition
Strayhorn composed the piece shortly after joining Ellington's organization, during a period when Ellington maintained residencies at the Cotton Club, toured with the Harlem Renaissance circuit, and collaborated with figures such as Juan Tizol and Billy Strayhorn's contemporaries. Influences included the urban landscape of New York City, the subway lines like the IND Eighth Avenue Line, and the social milieu surrounding venues such as the Savoy Ballroom and the Apollo Theater. The tune's title referenced transit routes serving neighborhoods tied to artists associated with Harlem Renaissance gatherings and the Great Migration demographic shifts. Strayhorn's compositional approach drew on harmonic language found in works by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and arrangements by Fletcher Henderson, while integrating voicings reminiscent of Ellington's earlier pieces like Mood Indigo and Ko-Ko.
Recording and Release
The earliest studio recordings by the Ellington orchestra were made for labels such as Victor Records and later issued on Brunswick Records. The piece debuted in Ellington's book during engagements at the Savoy Ballroom and was first recorded in a session featuring soloists linked to Ellington's band, including Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Ray Nance, and arranger parts contributed by Strayhorn himself. Releases coincided with the wartime recording industry constraints overseen by entities like the American Federation of Musicians and were distributed to radio networks including NBC Radio and CBS Radio. Subsequent reissues appeared on compilations curated by labels such as Columbia Records and later RCA Victor, preserving alternate takes and live concert versions from venues like Carnegie Hall and international tours with stops in cities including London and Paris.
Musical Structure and Analysis
The composition employs a 32-bar AABA form common to standards arranged by composers like Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin. Harmonically, it features device usage similar to works by Thelonious Monk and George Shearing, with modulations and chromatic approach chords that parallel innovations heard in Charlie Parker's bebop language. Texturally, the orchestration leverages section writing techniques developed by Don Redman and Fletcher Henderson, deploying reed voicings, a brass counterline, and featured trumpet statements typical of soloists like Cootie Williams and Ray Nance. The melody outlines syncopations akin to arrangements associated with Count Basie and integrates call-and-response patterns found in recordings by Louis Armstrong. Analysts compare Strayhorn's harmonic palette to that of Maurice Ravel in terms of coloristic chord clusters and to Duke Ellington's later extended compositions for its balance of solo space and ensemble unity.
Critical Reception and Legacy
Contemporary critics in publications such as DownBeat and reviewers aligned with outlets like The New York Times praised the tune's sophistication and commercial appeal. Over decades, musicologists at institutions including Julliard School and Berklee College of Music have cited the piece in curricula for arranging and jazz history. It was selected for preservation on lists by organizations analogous to the National Recording Registry for its cultural significance and has been featured in retrospectives at museums such as the Smithsonian Institution and exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art exploring American music. The composition helped secure Ellington and Strayhorn Grammy recognition in posthumous honors and influenced composers awarded by institutions like the Pulitzer Prize committee and the Kennedy Center Honors.
Notable Performances and Covers
Noteworthy versions include live renditions captured at Carnegie Hall and international festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival, featuring soloists from the Ellington orchestra and guest artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine, and instrumentalists in the lineage of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Arrangements and covers by bands and artists include interpretations by Count Basie Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Glenn Miller Orchestra alumni, and modern takes by ensembles associated with Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea. Vocal adaptations were recorded by singers under labels like Verve Records and Blue Note Records, while big band tributes were performed by university ensembles at institutions such as Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and Eastman School of Music.
Cultural Impact and Usage in Media
The composition's recognizable opening motif has been used in films and television series produced by studios like Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures, as well as in documentaries aired on PBS and cable networks. It served as theme music for radio programs and was licensed for commercials alongside campaigns by corporations headquartered in New York City. The tune appears in soundtracks for movies screened at festivals such as Cannes Film Festival and used in choreography pieces presented by companies like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Academic studies referencing the work have been published by presses including Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and the piece is cited in theses archived at universities like Columbia University and Harvard University.
Category:Jazz standards Category:Duke Ellington compositions