"Blood Count" is a 1967 jazz composition by Billy Strayhorn. It was originally intended for a three-piece work Strayhorn was writing for Duke Ellington and initially titled "Blue Cloud". [1] However, Strayhorn was hospitalized in 1967 due to cancer and finished the composition while in the hospital. [2] He died on 31 May, and "Blood Count" was his last finished composition. [1] The Ellington orchestra debuted "Blood Count" at a Carnegie Hall concert in March; this was later released in 1975 as The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World . In August 1967, Ellington recorded the piece on his tribute album for Strayhorn, ...And His Mother Called Him Bill . Although Ellington never played "Blood Count" again after the recording session, many other artists have since recorded it, including Stan Getz (seven times), [3] Jimmy Rowles, Joe Henderson, and Bobby Watson. [2] "Blood Count" was part of the repertoire for the 2013 Essentially Ellington competition.
