This tune recorded by Strayhorn himself in Paris, 1961 and later by Ellington (1965) with Joya Sherill on vocals. According to notes provided by WMBR's Jon Pollock (The Jazz Train), "The tune has a long history. I have versions that go back to 1946.The first appears to be a performance of the tune by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on a Treasury Series broadcast on June 1, 1946 on which Strayhorn was added on piano. Prior to Strayhorn's 1961 performance, there are numerous other versions that are extant, including: Several by Ellington, usually with Strayhorn on piano; Johnny Hodges (1947); Johnny Hodges (1955); Aaron Bridgers (1955 or 1956); Seldon Powell (1956); Vince Guaraldi (1957); Stephan Grappelli (1957); Cat Anderson (1959); Guy Lafite (1959). The "very beautiful" Diahann Carroll describes Strayhorn..."Spending time with Strayhorn was something I could never forget. He was a beautiful, delicate little flower, just, you know, a genius. But a tortured genius. He was an unhappy person. His genius was so overwhelming that being in his presence was something you could never forget. …(T)here’s such a thing as feeling too much and hearing too much. He suffered from that. Strayhorn had the ability to perceive other people better than most of us, and what he perceived wasn’t always kind, particularly in relation to himself and the life he chose for himself." - see link

Aimard is a French pianist born in 1957. He performed a, early and notable live stream performance recital in the early stages of the pandemic. See link to NY Times article.

Although it was Havens' first album release, Douglas Records later issued two unauthorized albums of material that had been recorded prior to the Mixed Bag recording sessions—Electric Havens (1968) and Richie Havens' Record (1969). After his death from a heart attack in April 19,and pursuant to Havens's request, he was cremated, and his ashes were scattered from the air over the original site of the Woodstock Festival, in a ceremony held on August 18, 2013, the 44th anniversary of the festival's last day -- wiki. I believe this recording was made during the time he had no teeth. Some have reported that he thought it helped him to sing better. He eventually got dentures .

"The Entourage Music and Theater Ensemble was an ambient music group originating in Baltimore MD. The group was active from 1970 to 1983 and performed in theaters in combination with dance ensembles. The nine selections of music from the collection, contained in this album, utilize acoustic and electric keyboards and guitars, E-Flat and B-flat soprano saxophones, viola, gong and other assorted percussion instruments. In 1977, Nebraska Public Televsion commissioned Entourage to create an orignal music/dance film project utilizing sculptures spread along I-80 to commemorate the 1976 US Bi-Centennial. The music comprises the work on the Neptune Collectin. It was co-commissioned by the NE Department of Roads. See link to watch a most unusual production. "

"Clifton was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. She grew up in Depew NY, outside Buffalo. She published 13 collections, a generous collection of childrens' books, a memoire edited by Toni Morrision and many awards and accolades. She attended Howard University, and held many administrative jobs in local government. Her daughter remembers watching her write at the kitchen table. She said, _Living takes courage...courage is to go out, to walk out on your fear. That's what poetry is. To take the risk of walking out on your fear._ "

"Miller is a rising Cincinnatti based violinst, harpist, vocalist, and composer. This is her debut album"

"This song is assocationed with Ukrainian's Black Army also known as the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army. It was an Anarchist army during the Russian Civil war of 1917-1922, under the command of Nestor Makhno. The song Yablochko, while being most famous as a sailor's dance song, has been appropriated by groups such as the red and white armies, or in this case, the Ukrainian black army. The song has no set text. Instead, the lyrics reflect the political situation of the time, the tune and the phrase _ekh, yablochko_ (hey, little apple)."

"Loree is Canadian, born in Edmonton. She release four recorded collections of her work from 1998 - 2008"

"Colliers is from London, this is his 2nd album, part of a four-volume, 50-song album featuring more than two dozen artists and ensembles. He's the first Brit to receive Grammies for each of his first four albums. HE's 28 years old."

"Born in Bologna in 1958. He performs on organ, harpsichord and he sings. "

Considered by some to be Australian First Lady of Swing.

"aka Julien Meert. He is, I believe, based in Belgium. He is mostly, publicly, a painter. "

Australian composer Sculthorpe began writing music at the age of seven or eight, after having his first piano lesson, continuing in secret when his piano teacher punished him for this activity. He was known for his impulse to bring together aspects of native Australian music with that of the heritage of the West (the Outback). Djilile is based upon an adaptation of an Aboriginal melody collected in northern Australia, in the late 1950s by A P Elkin and Trevor Jones. The title means ‘whistling-duck on a billabong’. Says culthorpe, _I have a special fondness for this melody…_adaptation of an Aboriginal melody collected in northern Australia, in the late 1950s by A P Elkin and Trevor Jones. The title means

"Kenyan born Anuang'a Fernando and the Maasai Vocals present this collection of traditional songs and dances from the three Maasai clans - Purko, Loodokilani and Kisonko. The project celebrates the ancestral songs and dance of the Maasai people of East Africa, performed at schools and on European stage through contemporary dance."

Bråten Berg is a Norwegian traditional folk singer, silversmith and government scholar. She is currently living in Valle in the Setesdal area of southern Norway. She trained as a silversmith at the Torleiv H. Bjørgums Vocational College in Setesdal and then set up her own workshop there, in Nomeland.

"Barbatuques is a Brazilian humorous musician group funded by Fernando Barba and consists of 15 musicians. The group produces music mainly focused on bodypercussion, including hand-clapping, whispers, finger claps, chest hitting, tap dancing, etc, resulting in rhythms like samba or rap, showing the power of collectivism and expressing it...."

From NPR review of Hathaway's bio:_ In the decade between his 1970 breakout hit _The Ghetto_ and his death at age 33 — an alleged suicide linked to paranoid schizophrenia — he recorded some of the most beautiful, heartfelt and funky music of the late twentieth century. Yet he remains an enigmatic figure, beloved by many black listeners and singers yet often excluded from histories of American popular music. Sessions for another album of duets were underway in 1979. The cirmstances of his death -- on January 13, Hathaway began a recording session with producers/musicians Eric Mercury and James Mtume. Each reported that although Hathaway was singing fine, he began behaving irrationally, seeming to be paranoid and delusional. According to Mtume, Hathaway said that white people were trying to kill him and had connected his brain to a machine for the purpose of stealing his music and his sound.[10] Given Hathaway's behavior, Mercury said that he decided the recording session could not continue, so he aborted it and all of the musicians went home.Hours later, Hathaway was found dead on the pavement below the window of his 15th-floor room in New York City's Essex House hotel. It was reported that he had jumped from his balcony. Jesse Jackson ministered Hathaway's funeral.

Detroit born Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist.[2] A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop musicians who successfully explored funk and soul while remaining a jazz artist. As a bandleader, Byrd was an influence on the early career of Herbie Hancock - wiki

"Elan Noon is Keenan Mittag-Degala's alternative solo project based in British Columbia, Canada"