‘A’ Midnight Special – Michel Petrucciani

(Above) The classic Take the ‘A’ Train is given a highly kinetic treatment by Petrucciani at the 1998 Nice Jazz Festival. He is joined by Anthony Jackson (b), Steve Gadd (d), Stefano DiBattista (ts), Flavio Boltro (tr), & Denis Leloup (tb)

(Left) In 1993, Michel took the stage at the Stuttgart Jazz Festival and captured the audience with a powerful solo performance of Monk’s ‘Round Midnight.  He had everyone checking their watches … waiting for ‘last call!’

Take The ‘A’ Train – Billy Taylor & Dave Brubeck

This rare performance of A-Train is from the Legends of Jazz, Piano Masters series with Ramsey Lewis hosting. For the first time in more than forty years, a American national network, PBS, aired a weekly program devoted to jazz.  The series aired in 2006 and lasted only 13 weeks, but has become available on both DVD and CD for continuing enjoyment by jazz buffs everywhere.

Take The ‘A’ Train – Duke Ellington

The ‘A’ train is the storied New York City subway renowned as the preferred means of transportation to Harlem. Here’s a segment from the film “Reveille with Beverly” (1943) featuring the famous Blanton-Webster edition of the Ellington Orchestra, with Ivie Johnson’s vocal.