Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday

Read About This Recording

Billie Holiday is one of the most legendary of all jazz singers and still a household name 44 years after her death. She had a small voice and never scatted yet her phrasing, behind-the-beat delivery and her combination of subtlety and deep emotions have been very influential for 65 years. Her life was often tragic and she died much too young, but her music is immortal.

Holiday, who was always known as Lady Day, first emerged in the early 1930s when she was discovered by the young producer John Hammond. Her recording career can easily be divided into three periods. After a false start in 1933, she cut a series of jazz-oriented titles during 1935-42 with all-star swing combos drawn from the top big bands. Pianist Teddy Wilson was at the head of many of her early dates although by 1938 Holiday was a big enough name to become the leader. All of these priceless recordings have been reissued in very complete form on a 10-CD box set. Lady Day, which is subtitled The Best Of Billie Holiday, is a two-CD reissue that has 36 of the best performances from this era.

With sympathetic and inspiring playing from the likes of Teddy Wilson, tenor-saxophonist Lester Young, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Roy Eldridge, clarinetists Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, altoists Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter and many others, Holiday is heard in consistently wonderful form. Among the many highlights are What A Little Moonlight Can Do, I Cried For You, Billie's Blues, I Must Have That Man, A Sailboat In the Moonlight, My Man, Sugar, Them There Eyes, God Bless The Child and All Of Me.

-Scott Yanow

Extended Article

The recordings Billie Holiday made between 1933 and 1944 for Columbia and its associated labels represent not only her finest work, but American Jazz and pop singing at its zenith. Though not blessed with an exceptional instrument, Holiday (1915-59), assayed a singular approach, marked by its comet-like timbres (Louis Armstrong was her hero) and deliciously behind the beat phrasing. Like her friend Frank Sinatra, who unfailingly acknowledged her influence, she nailed a song's emotional essence - from new-romance elation to despair-inducing betrayal.

This collection draws on the 10-CD boxed set Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-44). Accompained sublimely by a Who's Who of the Swing Era (including Lester Young, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldrige, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Jo Jones and pianist-arranger Teddy Wilson, who was often at the helm when Holiday entered the studio), she masterfully renders a host of mostly-classic pop tunes. Many of these titles were produced by John Hammond, justly renowned for having discovered, in addition to Holiday, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin, Boy Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The Best of Lady Day is an ideal introduction to the Voice of Jazz in all its enduring glory.

Contents

What A Little Moonlight Can Do; These Foolish Things; I Cried For You; Summertime; Billie's Blues; If You Were Mine; A Fine Romance; Easy To Love; I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm; I Must Have That Man; Me, Myself And I; They Can't Take That Away From Me; Easy Living; A Sailboat In The Moonlight; Travelin' All Alone; When A Woman Loves A Man; You Go To My Head; My Man; I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me; The Very Thought Of You; I Can't Get Started; Long Gone Blues; Sugar; Some Other Spring; Them There Eyes; The Man I Love; Body And Soul; Swing, Brother, Swing; Night And Day; Let's Do It; God Bless The Child; Solitude; I Cover The Waterfront; Gloomy Sunday; Until The Real Thing Comes Along; All Of Me.

Billie Holiday, Vocals; Teddy Wilson, Joe Bushkin, Clyde Hart, Pianos; Roy Eldridge, Jonah Jones, Bunny Berigan, Irving Randolph, Trumpets; Ben Webster, Chu Berry, Saxes; John Trueheart, Lawrence Lucie, Dick McDonough, Dave Barbour, Allan Reuss, Guitars; John Kirby, Pete Peterson, Milt Hinton, Bass; Cozy Cole, Gene Krupa, Drums; Harry Carney, Clarinet, Sax; Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Irving Fazola, Vido Musso, Clarinets; Benny Morton, Trombone.