"Blood Count" is as Billy Strayhorn' s last composition (he knew he was dying, hence the title), and was, as well, the last Major Johnny Hodges solo in an Ellington album ("And His Mother Called Him Bill"). Stan beautifully showcased this incredibly sad tune during the 80's, his last decade in this Earth, and this is quite meaningful!
Stan had a special relationship with this tune and Billy Strayhorn's music (about this time he revealed in an NPR interview that he had an inoperable cancerous tumor behind his heart). Although a video is always welcome, Stan and Kenny complement each other better on a couple of their recordings of the tune. The limited audio fidelity of youtube videos tends to boost the presence of the bass in the mid-range, detracting from the beauty of the whole, which is a delicate organism, indeed. (Stan's recording of the tune with Jim McNeely on piano is almost equally compelling.)
+caponsacchi It gives me goose bumps every single time I listen to Getz's version of Blood Count, written by Billy Strayhorn when he was dying. It has the eloquence that only Getz can imprint into a tune. I can hear Strayhorn's perplexity; his pain, anger and final surrendering.
Never heard about Stan suffering health issues at this time, didn't Billy stray horn have esophageal cancer and was in a hospital when he wrote this wow! The tune is beautiful and haunting and with these stories in the background it adds even more depth to them thank you for posting this
