Tag: Billie Holiday

Title: Billie Holiday – Songs For Distingue Lovers (1957) [Analogue Productions 2012]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Songs for Distingué Lovers forms part of the last series of extensive small-group recordings that Lady Day would make in the studio. Although her voice was largely shot at this point, she puts so much feeling into the lyrics that it’s easy to overlook her dark sound. The band is a major asset, and made up of all-stars: trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison, tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, pianist Jimmie Rowles, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Red Mitchell, and Alvin Stoller or Larry Bunker on drums. There are plenty of short solos for Edison, Webster, and Kessel. Holiday does her best on such numbers as “A Foggy Day,” “One for My Baby,” “Just One of Those Things,” and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” and there are plenty of haunting moments, even if one could tell (even at the time) that the end was probably drawing near for the singer.

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Title: Billie Holiday – Lady In Satin (1958) [Reissue 2002]
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO

This is the most controversial of all Billie Holiday records. Lady Day herself said that this session (which finds her accompanied by Ray Ellis’ string orchestra) was her personal favorite, and many listeners have found her emotional versions of such songs as “I’m a Fool to Want You,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” “Glad to Be Unhappy,” and particularly “You’ve Changed” to be quite touching. But Holiday’s voice was essentially gone by 1958, and although not yet 43, she could have passed for 73. Ellis’ arrangements do not help, veering close to Muzak; most of this record is very difficult to listen to. Late in life, Holiday expressed the pain of life so effectively that her croaking voice had become almost unbearable to hear. There is certainly a wide range of opinion as to the value of this set.

hraudio | allmusic | discogs

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Title: Billie Holiday – Lady In Satin (1958) [Reissue 1999]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This is the most controversial of all Billie Holiday records. Lady Day herself said that this session (which finds her accompanied by Ray Ellis’ string orchestra) was her personal favorite, and many listeners have found her emotional versions of such songs as “I’m a Fool to Want You,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” “Glad to Be Unhappy,” and particularly “You’ve Changed” to be quite touching. But Holiday’s voice was essentially gone by 1958, and although not yet 43, she could have passed for 73. Ellis’ arrangements do not help, veering close to Muzak; most of this record is very difficult to listen to. Late in life, Holiday expressed the pain of life so effectively that her croaking voice had become almost unbearable to hear. There is certainly a wide range of opinion as to the value of this set. [Some reissues add two alternate takes of “I’m a Fool to Want You,” part of which were used for the original released rendition, plus the stereo version of “The End of a Love Affair” (only previously released in mono) and examples of Lady Day rehearsing the latter song, including a long unaccompanied stretch.

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Title: Billie Holiday – Body And Soul (1957) [Analogue Productions Remaster 2011]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This session comes from close to the end of the line (1959) in the erstwhile swinging company of Barney Kessel on guitar, Ben Webster on tenor, and naysayers will be quick to point out that Lady Day wasn’t in peak form here. But Billie Holiday with some of the platinum chipped off the pipes is still way better than a buncha finger-snappin’ wannabes anyday. Her interpretations of the title cut, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” and “Darn That Dream” hold you in the palm of her hand with their gentle swing and the band support here is never less than stellar.

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Title: Billie Holiday – All Or Nothing At All (1958) [APO Remaster 2012]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

After the publication of her autobiography, Lady Sings The Blues, Billie Holiday was doing good business in clubs in what turned out to be a last burst of stardom. We cannot know why she stopped recording for Norman Granz after January 1957 – but the present collection is a magnificent culmination of her years with the producer.

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