EDUCATION | EXHIBITIONS: ONE LP@LOUD & CLEAR, EDINBURGH: Tina May: Musician

“I can remember a light bulb moment when I heard it, I was about seven and it was an LP ... A double LP .. of "Ella Fitzgerald sings the Duke Ellington Songbook", with Duke 

Elongton big band and everything, all the stars in that band. And I'd never heard anything like it. And hearing the track that really changed my life, that made me want to sing like that - 

‘cos I'd never heard anything like it was "Take The ‘A’ Train". 

And she's doing, you know, train noises (sings train noise) and and you think 'What's that!’. And I made my mum play it like ten times in a row and , you know, yeah absolutely life changing album and I still love it, and I always think well it's so personal - your musical journey. Earlier on my dad, who loved to play stride piano himself, turned me on to Fats Waller and 

I love Fats Waller and I loved his humour. But for the female voice it's always been Ella for me, and I love Ella and that was the defining moment - ‘Ooh I like this I want to be part of this' you know.” 

Tina May Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, November 1st 2017 

Image courtesy of the RNCM One LP Series 

Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and Orchestra: 

"Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Duke Ellington Songbook" released 1957