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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2007)
culture Black History Month Independent Lens focuses on gay composer, homophobia in hip-hop by Gary Morris of his life. In Strayhorn, Ellington discovered a ver itable angel, a quiet, amenable young man who could churn out complex masterpieces that were also hit tunes, practically overnight. Ellington in some ways took advantage of Strayhorn’s talents and seeming submissiveness, taking credit for his friend's songs and sabotaging all attempts by Strayhorn to leave his nest for more ambitious projects or collaborators. But Strayhorn clearly benefited, too: He gained a loving, admiring father figure, one who stimulated his highest creativity and allowed him the “lush life” he enjoyed, far removed from his hardscrabble youth. Their unusual relationship is at the heart of this film and provides much of the drama. But Strayhorn’s life was about more than Ellington. Lena Home’s daughter calls him “soft” but also “a tiger," and friends soon learned not to trifle with him. He Billy Strayhorn was stuck in Duke Ellington's shadow because of his sexual orientation. had a rich social life away from the limelight. The film shows him partying with friends like Home and Most impressive, though, is the music. The Channel, a major purveyor of hip-hop, prefer Quincy Jones (who speaks of him in awe), setting up samples—from the film scores and orchestral suites images like rapper 50 Cent swiping a credit card in housekeeping with boyfriends, drinking beer for that filigree Lush Life, to Dianne Reeves singing the the “shakin’ booty" of a “ho’ ” in the video “Tip breakfast and going to Paris to work with Orson extraordinary title tune, written when Strayhorn Drill” or the bloody parade of black men “capping" Welles or Hollywood to score movies. was 16—confirm the portrait of a gay genius whose each other. Because they’ve cornered the market, complex, melancholy sound remains one of popu they’ve been massively successful in selling lar music’s most distinctive. grotesque images like these to consumers, mostly Strayhorn died of cancer at 51 in the arms of his white. lover, Bill Groves. His death had a profound effect The film covers a lot of ground in an hour, but on those in his circle, not least on Ellington. The some of the most interesting material is on homo Duke’s eulogy is one of the most loving and respect phobia and homoeroticism. Lyrics like “it ain’t no ful here, particularly in the terms in which he fun unless we all get some” and the endless empha describes this shy, shadowy gay man nicknamed sis on tats, muscles and “my boys" show there’s “Sweet Pea”: “He had the greatest authority,” he plenty of queer vibe here. Some interviewees like says, then pauses. “With Billy Strayhorn 1 had the Busta Rhymes are so insecure, they run when direc greatest security." tor Hurt asks about anti-gay lyrics, but as always the drag queens get the last word when one of them t the opposite end of the black music spectrum laughingly explains how easy it is to have sex with from Strayhorn’s subtleties are the hammering, even the most homophobic-seeming rappers, as brutal sounds of hip-hop. Byron Hurt’s excellent long as it’s “on the down low.” documentary Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes gathers an enlightening array of cultural commen I ndependent L ens presents Billy Strayhorn: Lush tators, media execs, rappers and wannabes to talk Life 1 1 p.m. Feb. 6 and Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats about the spiraling sexism, racism and homophobia & Rhymes 11 p.m. Feb. 20 on OPB. in the genre. It’s a big subject, increasingly so in the past few G ary M orris edits and publishes Bright Lights years when media consolidation killed off hip-hop’s Film Journal, located online at Filmmaker Byron Hurt confronts insecure rappers like Busta Rhymes about anti-gay lyrics in his social critique. Corporate monoliths like Clear uww.brightkghtsfilm.com. excellent documentary Hip-Hop: Beyond Beets ft Rhymes. illy Strayhorn (1916-1967) was a major 20th century composer, compared by some critics to Ravel, Debussy and Stravinsky for the complexity and beauty of his melodies. Yet he’s far from a house hold name. He wrote jazz classics like “Satin Doll” and “Take the A Train,” but most people associate those tunes with Duke Ellington. Strayhorn had one major strike against him ever assuming the role of public entertainer that an obvi ous showman like Ellington relished: He was gay. Not closeted exactly, in the sense that we understand that term today; private is probably more accurate. Robert Levi’s fine documentary Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life tells his story, and it’s a fascinating one of an elusive subject cobbled together through archival footage, musical performances and interviews with friends, family, biographers and associates. Born in dire poverty to an artistic mother and a violent father, Strayhorn escaped into music. A piano prodigy, he was writing brilliant songs and even complex suites while in his teens. A fortuitous meeting with Ellington in his 20s would bring him to what most believe was the defining relationship A Serious Injury & Death Cases Wrongful Death • Medical Malpractice • Serious Accidents • Brain Injuries Trucking Accidents • Spinal Cord Injuries • Nursing Home Abuse • Therapist Malpractice Over 17 Years Experience Top “AV" Rating Proudly serving our community since 1989 Free Consultation 503-295-1940 • 800-795-8945 www.goreslaw.com Halo J. Gores, Attorney Holding Insurance Companies Accountable
