Reservoir Media has acquired the publishing catalogue of the late jazz composer Billy Strayhorn.
In addition, the company will participate in Strayhorn’s name, image and likeness rights.
This deal expands upon a relationship Reservoir has developed with the Strayhorn estate (Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc) since 2014, including supporting the Strayhorn Centennial celebration in 2015.
Born in Dayton, Ohio in 1915, Strayhorn was a musical prodigy who became a renowned jazz composer, pianist and arranger. He composed countless jazz standards and was best known for his three-decade collaboration with Duke Ellington, creating music that helped define Ellington’s sound.
Strayhorn’s body of work includes iconic compositions, such as Take The ‘A’ Train, Lush Life, Chelsea Bridge, and Satin Doll, among many others.
Almost 60 years since his death, Strayhorn’s legacy continues to impact today’s music landscape. His songs have been recorded by artists across jazz, pop and classical, and remain a fixture of the Great American Songbook.
In 2015 Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett won the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for their collaborative album, Cheek to Cheek, which featured a rendition of Lush Life.
In 1984, Strayhorn was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 1992, he was awarded a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Strayhorn was this month honoured as an inductee into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
We are proud to be the stewards of his remarkable catalogue and remain committed to championing his timeless work
Suzy Arrabito
In 2023, a Strayhorn biographical musical, Something To Live For, debuted at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, while Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker made its world premiere in Chicago. The New York Philharmonic last month debuted a rendition of Take the ‘A’ Train at the inaugural gala, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell.
In a statement, the Strayhorn estate said: “The responsibility for managing a legacy is a serious and daunting undertaking. We are so pleased to have partnered with the Reservoir team for the past 12 years. Our collaboration has allowed us to expand Strayhorn’s legacy with the help of sensitive partners who valued our opinions, our ideas and our feelings.”
Suzy Arrabito, Reservoir vice president of marketing and communications, said: “It has been a privilege working alongside the Strayhorn estate for more than a decade to honour Billy’s extraordinary legacy and introduce his music to a whole new generation of listeners. He was a defining voice in American music, whose sophisticated compositions and singular music perspective helped shape the sound of an era and continue to influence artists today.
“We are proud to be the stewards of his remarkable catalogue and remain committed to championing his timeless work, ensuring his music continues to be heard, celebrated, and discovered by audiences for many years to come."
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc
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