Billy Strayhorn

Take The A-Train

Take the 'A' Train is a jazz standard written by Billy Strayhorn for Duke Ellington and his Duke Ellington Orchestra. Today, it is known as the signature tune of the Ellington orchestra and arguably the most famous of the many compositions to merge from the Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration.
The song was composed in 1939, after Ellington offered Strayhorn a job in his organization and gave him money to travel from Pittsburgh to New York City. Ellington wrote directions for Strayhorn to get to his house by subway, directions that began, Take the 'A' Train.