You Go to My Head. Strayhorn and Standards

The larger part of Billy Strayhorn’s work for the Ellington Orchestra consisted of writing arrangements. Close to six hundred of his arrangements survive, of which literally hundreds eventually were performed or recorded by the Ellington band. Yet, Strayhorn’s inspiration seemed boundless, and still numerous arrangements had to be shelved. Strayhorn, an accomplished composer, tackled his arrangements with serious dedication. The recorded arrangements on this CD serve as a case in point. In his hands, the standards from the “American Songbook” reveal new and deeper layers, with the same overtones that resonate throughout Strayhorn’s own compositions.