Question

Duke Ellington was considered a great composer, arranger, and conductor in the jazz era. Describe some of the terminology used regarding the jazz era in the piece Take the "A" Train. Give a brief synopsis of the piece and describe some of the differing sounds that you will hear after reading about the piece.

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Answer 1

Take the 'A' Train" is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. In 1999, National Public Radio included this song in the "NPR 100", in which NPR's music editors sought to compile the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century. The tune which was taken from Duke Ellington and his famous orchestra's 1941 album "Hollywood" was included in the soundtrack of the 2008 video game release Grand Theft Auto IV from the fictitious in-game jazz music radio station "JNR 108.5 (Jazz Nation Radio)".

Answer 2

The most interesting characteristic of this piece is that each instrument is heard separately rather than with the accompaniment. The trumpets and trombones are played with mutes to produce syncopations in the beginning. The song has a swing and big band feel. There are extended trumpet solos, with each instrument shining in its own time. In the end, the entire band plays the melody together.

Step-by-step explanation: