June 21, 2024 - 12-2 pm
Join us for a celebration of New York City’s musical heritage as we honor the legacy of jazz composer Billy Strayhorn, who broke barriers as an openly gay, black man in the mid-1900s. First joining up with legendary bandleader Duke Ellington in 1939, this marks the 85th anniversary of the pair’s renowned collaborative relationship. From the dimly lit jazz clubs to the bustling streets and his home in Harlem, Strayhorn compositions such as “Lush Life” and “Take the ‘A’ Train” have etched themselves into the city’s very essence. We invite musicians of all backgrounds to unite in celebration of jazz, Strayhorn, Duke and the spirit of New York. As part of the program, we collaborated with New York University’s talented students, who will showcase original compositions crafted from an unpublished fragment of Strayhorn’s, further demonstrating the timelessness of his music.
This year, Reservoir, an independent music company based in New York, is partnering with Make Music New York, New York City’s only music festival for the people and by the people! Each June 21, MMNY orchestrates over 1000 concerts across the city in public spaces to connect New Yorkers to their communities through music. This year, we are paying tribute to jazz composer Billy Strayhorn in celebration of the 85th anniversary of Strayhorn joining Duke Ellington’s band–and the rest is history! Together, the pair would make famous compositions such as “Take The A Train,” “Lush Life,” “Chelsea Bridge,” “Day Dream,” and so many more. There is also the additional celebratory tie-in of celebrating Strayhorn, who was openly gay, during Pride month.
