final bows

I sang four concerts with the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles this weekend. Los Angeles Times review We performed the music of Billy Strayhorn who worked with Duke Ellington and wrote many of the songs associated with the band, including "Take the A Train," "Satin Doll" "Lotus Blossom," "Day Dream" and "Lush Life," all of which we included in the show. Billy Strayhorn was a black, gay man, and part of the reason for our show was to tell his story as a gay, musician, ancestor of ours, as well as keeping alive his creative legacy and giving him the proper credit. As Duke Ellington once told a reporter, "Billy can write better than me, play better than me, and arrange better than me." When the reporter asked why then it was always Ellington in the spotlight, Ellington replied, "Well I bow better than him."