Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 66: Billy Strayhorn---Lush Life: Book & CD

This collection centers on a composer whose harmonic language rewards repeated study and whose melodies stick with players long after rehearsal ends. Strayhorn's pieces span from the approachable (the perennial crowd-pleaser "Take the 'A' Train") to the genuinely demanding ("Lush Life"), giving your ensemble repertoire that satisfies both developing and advanced musicians on the same recording session. The Hal Galper rhythm section provides sophisticated, attentive accompaniment that lets soloists breathe while maintaining the harmonic clarity Strayhorn's music demands.

Strayhorn's music inhabits a world of elegant sophistication and emotional directness. Ballads like "Lush Life" and "Chelsea Bridge" unfold with unhurried grace, revealing harmonic depths that reward close listening; uptempo numbers like "Satin Doll" swing with urbane wit and clean swing feel. Throughout, his melodies sing naturally and his harmonies always feel inevitable, even when they surprise you.

Intermediate to advanced jazz soloists on any instrument who want to deepen their harmonic vocabulary and solo vocabulary through Strayhorn's sophisticated, lyrical compositions. Teachers can use these arrangements to introduce students to a composer whose work appears in both small-group and big-band contexts, and whose influence on jazz history runs deeper than many realize.

• Listen to the full recorded performance first before isolating your part; Strayhorn's compositions rely on conversational interplay between soloist and rhythm section, and hearing how the pros navigate the changes shapes your phrasing and time feel.
• Pay attention to chord extensions and alterations in Strayhorn's harmony; they're not decoration but central to the emotional content of each tune, so practice landing on guide tones before improvising over the changes.
• Adjust your articulation and vibrato based on the ballad versus mid-tempo character of each piece; "Lush Life" and "Chelsea Bridge" demand restraint and space, while "Satin Doll" and "Take the 'A' Train" welcome more drive and rhythmic precision.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the specific tempo and groove Strayhorn intends for each composition; his rhythmic vocabulary varies significantly from piece to piece, and matching the recording builds your stylistic accuracy.

Feature individual soloists in a jazz recital or informal performance series, mixing Strayhorn's ballads with his more uptempo pieces to showcase range and versatility. This volume works particularly well in a thematic concert pairing Strayhorn with Duke Ellington, highlighting their creative partnership and allowing audiences to hear both how Strayhorn's compositions fit into Ellington's orchestra and how they stand alone. Use the recordings as teaching tools in jazz history and improvisation classes to anchor discussions of harmonic sophistication and compositional voice.

• Navigating Strayhorn's extended and altered harmonies (9ths, 13ths, chromatic substitutions)
• Improvising over sophisticated chord changes with harmonic awareness rather than surface-level line construction
• Balancing space and silence in ballad playing versus rhythmic drive in swing contexts
• Understanding compositional voice through transcription and analysis of Strayhorn's melodic and harmonic choices
• Collaborating responsively with a rhythm section through active listening to recorded examples