Billie Holiday (1915-1959), Seminal American Jazz and Pop Singer - 4-Time Grammy Winner for Best Historical Album, and Member of the Grammy Hall Of Fame

[The Hersch]

I especially love Billie Holiday's late recordings for Verve. This recording of "April in Paris" from 1956 was included on the wonderful collection "Lady in Autumn: The Best of the Verve Years" released in 1991, which I strongly suggest anyone who cares for singing or for jazz or for Billie Holiday should have. I believe that's the great Ben Webster on tenor sax.

[porcupine]

Mr. P and I have similar tastes in almost everything except music.  I spent years trying to get him to at least tolerate jazz.  Once, he came over to my place while I was listening to Billie Holliday; I could almost see him squirming.  Finally he burst out "what is this?!" when "Strange Fruit" came on.  Once I explained his interest was piqued, but he still can't stand her voice.

[The Hersch]

While we're on the subject, here's Billie Holiday from much earlier in her career, singing "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" in 1935, with a stunning band as follows:

Billie Holiday - Vocals
Benny Goodman - Clarinet
Roy Eldridge - Trumpet
Ben Webster - Tenor Sax
John Trueheart - Guitar
Teddy Wilson - Piano
John Kirby - Bass
William "Cozy" Cole - Drums

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQQhAitHuQ

[Tweaked]

what would be some good Billie Holiday albums to check out?

Sounds like Lady in Autumn and...?

[The Hersch]

what would be some good Billie Holiday albums to check out?

Sounds like Lady in Autumn and...?

I used to have an LP (called "Lady Day") of the most wonderful Columbia recordings from the 30s, which included the "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" that I linked above. I think the whole thing was from the same sessions with largely the same knockout personnel (you know, Benny Goodman, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, and crew). It's available now as an expensive CD import from Japan that has the same cover as my old LP here. This appears to be the same recordings in an inexpensive MP3 format. There are so many compilations out there nowadays, and the whole "album" concept is in such a state of retreat, that it's hard to know what to recommend (or what to buy), but you can't go wrong with this and "Lady in Autumn".

[Tweaked]

I used to have an LP (called "Lady Day") of the most wonderful Columbia recordings from the 30s, which included the "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" that I linked above. I think the whole thing was from the same sessions with largely the same knockout personnel (you know, Benny Goodman, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, and crew). It's available now as an expensive CD import from Japan that has the same cover as my old LP here. This appears to be the same recordings in an inexpensive MP3 format. There are so many compilations out there nowadays, and the whole "album" concept is in such a state of retreat, that it's hard to know what to recommend (or what to buy), but you can't go wrong with this and "Lady in Autumn".

 

That's what I've heard- that there are a lot of Billie compilations out there and many are poor quality. I'll check these two out. Thanks!

[Tweaked]

Since we are talking Billie Holiday:

The Music of Lady Day:  A concert celebrating 100 years of Billie Holiday at the new Strathmore concert venue Amp in North Bethesda's Pike & Rose development.  Thursday April 9, 2015.

"Rochelle Rice, Christie Dashiell, and Integriti Reeves, with D.C. sax phenom Elijah Jamal Balbed and jazz pianist Mark G. Meadows recreate the golden heyday of Lady Day to celebrate 100 years of Billie Holiday. These Strathmore AIR alums are convened by fellow performer, sparkling jazz vocalist Lena Seikaly."

[porcupine]

Do you ever wake up with a song going through your head?  I do.  This morning it was this.  That link takes you to an interesting early version with a great solo by Benny Goodman, this one takes you to a later and maybe better-known recording.  I love the little piano riff closing that version.

edited to add: I'd forgotten that The Hersch had already linked to the 1935 version.  d'oh!

[The Hersch]

Do you ever wake up with a song going through your head?  I do.  This morning it was this.  That link takes you to an interesting early version with a great solo by Benny Goodman, this one takes you to a later and maybe better-known recording.  I love the little piano riff closing that version.

edited to add: I'd forgotten that The Hersch had already linked to the 1935 version.  d'oh!

It's worth linking twice, in case somebody missed it the first time.

[MC Horoscope]

I like The Complete Commodore Recordings for small groups.

The Complete Decca Recordings have lush string arrangements, if you prefer that.

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Love this video of Billie Holiday with a small group including Lester Young, from a TV show.

[DonRocks]

To Billie Holiday. Happy 100th, Lady Day.

Many people accused Louis Armstrong of being an "Uncle Tom." Billie Holiday addressed the issue head-on, talking about her dear friend "Pops" (like "Satchmo," "Pops" was one of Armstrong's two most popular nicknames).

"Of course Pops toms, but he toms from the heart."