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"A study of the legacy of Black queer composer, arranger, and pianist Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967), exploring how Strayhorn's identity as an openly gay Black jazz musician shaped his career, musical sensibility, and the dynamics with his collaborators"-- Provided by publisher.

"Queer Arrangements is a new study of Billy Strayhorn that examines his music and career at the intersection of jazz and Black queer history. The legacy of Black queer composer, arranger and pianist Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) hovers at the edge of canonical jazz narratives. Queer Arrangements explores the ways in which Strayhorn's identity as an openly gay Black jazz musician shaped his career, including the creative roles he could assume and the dynamics between himself and his collaborators, most famously Duke Ellington, but also iconic singers such as Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald. This new portrait of Strayhorn combines critical, historically-situated close readings of selected recordings, scores and performances with biography and cultural theory to pursue alternative interpretive jazz possibilities, Black queer historical routes and sounds. By looking at jazz history through the instrument(s) of Strayhorn's queer arrangements, this book sheds new light on his music and on jazz collaboration at midcentury"-- Provided by publisher.

Music/culture

Introduction : Queer arrangements, queer collaboration

Part I : Working behind the scenes : Gender, sexuality, and collaboration in Strayhorn's vocal arrangements. Arriving by "Flamingo" ; Difficult beauty

Part II : Strayhorn's queer music. Strayhorn's Lorcian encounter ; Black queer moves in the Strayhorn-Ellington Nutcracker suite

Part III. Strayhorn performing/arranging Strayhorn. Paris, halfway to dawn, or Listening to The peaceful side

Epilogue : Ever up and onward : Searching for Strayhorn in the twenty-first century.

Strayhorn, Billy > Criticism and interpretation.

Jazz > Social aspects > History > 20th century.

Jazz > 20th century > History and criticism.

Composition (Music) > Collaboration.

Arrangers (Musicians) > United States.

African American gay men > Social conditions.