Billie Holiday

[wolff]

This is probably very old news to most of you.

I have a bit of the later Holiday on Verve and I like lt, but the following is in a completely different universe.

The other day I came into the possession of "The Billie Holiday Story" on vinyl. A 2 lp re-issue of Decca DXSB7-161. I'd imagine it's on CD.

Songs are:

1. Them There Eyes

2. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)

3. Easy Living

4. Baby Get Lost

5. You're My Thrill

6. There Is No Greater Love

7. That Ole Devil Called Love

8. I'll Look Around

9. Gimme A Pig Foot And A Bottle Of Beer

10. My Man (Mon Homme)

11. Don't Explain

12. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do

13. Deep Song

14. Crazy He Calls Me

15. Keeps On Rainin'

16. No More In Your Duty

17. Now Or Never

18. Good Morning Heartache

19. Somebody On My Mind

20. Porgy

21. Solitude

22. This Is Heaven To Me

23. God Bless The Child

It's a no brainer of a recommendation if you like Billie Holiday and you probably already have it.

It's incredibly high quality stuff. A lot like an Ella songbook production wise, but was done about 15 years earlier.

Once this music starts I end up listening to the entire thing.

[brownie]

Those Decca sides by Billie Holiday are the ones where her voice was at best.

I may prefer the Columbia, the Commodore and the Verve sessions - in great part because of the accompaniement - but when I want to enjoy the way Bille Holiday could perform songs, I turn to the Decca sides.

Don't know how that vinyl sounded but I was very happy with the 2CD set 'The Complete Decca Recordings. This one includes a number of alternate takes (the alternates of 'No More', 'Don't Explain' and 'Big Stuff' among others are just brilliant) and make that 2CD set quite indispensable.

[EKE BBB]

wolff: if you "get" into Lady Day you´ll end buying ALL her sides: Decca, Commodore, Columbia & Verve!

I agree with brownie regarding her voice was at its best on the Deccas.

The Verves, where her voice was at its worst, are, IMHO, the most moving recorded vocal jazz I remember. And the sidemen were top-notch!

[Christiern]

Here she is with Jimmy "Lover Man" Davis

[king ubu]

Thanks for sharing this beautiful photograph, Chris!

[John L]

Brownie: After purchasing the 2-disc Decca set and unloading my Decca LP, I actually noticed that I was listening to these recordings much less often. Then I realized that it was due to the huge number of alternate takes, most of which have very little variation and are programmed in a strange way throughout the CDs. I ended up burning myself a single disc of the masters that is virtually identical to "The Billie Holiday Story" cited above, and I again started enjoying the music much more.

[brownie]

John L., may I suggest that you go back to the 2CD and check some of the alternate tracks? They're really alternates. The variations on 'Big Stuff' are stunning.

And as for those Billie Decca sides, I cannot have enough of them!

[John L]

John L., may I suggest that you go back to the 2CD and check some of the alternate tracks? They're really alternates. The variations on 'Big Stuff' are stunning.

And as for those Billie Decca sides, I cannot have enough of them!

You are suggesting that I go back and listen to some Billie that I haven't heard in a while?

Thank you!!! I would love to do that!

[paul secor]

I agree with brownie regarding her voice was at its best on the Deccas.

The Verves, where her voice was at its worst, are, IMHO, the most moving recorded vocal jazz I remember. And the sidemen were top-notch!

I feel that her voice was at its best on her Verve sides, because for me they are the most moving of all her recordings.

[ajf67]

I find myself retruning to the her Decca recordings most often. My favorite is side 2 of The Lady Sings.

Good Morning Heartache (maybe my favorite Billie song)

No More

No Good Man

I'll Look Around

Easy Living

What is This THing Called Love

Great excuse to put it on!

[wolff]

I've heard/read this being debated for years.

Until running into the above mentioned set, I had been listening to her late Verve titles like; Body and Soul, Songs For Distingue Lovers, Stay With Me and All Or Nothing At All for years, exclusively. They get a ton of play for the reasons you all mention. I see them as being beautiful in a haunting, heavier way.

The Decca sides, IMO are lighter, more joyful and her voice is lovely in absolute terms. I still feel a ton of emotion in these songs. My goosebumps and tears prove it.

If I was trying to get a jazz newbie interested in Holiday I would give them a burn of the Decca sides I mentioned in my first post.

I forgot to mention I also have a 3 LP Columbia set called "The Golden Years Vol. 2", that I've listened to a few times recently. For me, this set suffers because of the sound(dubbed from 78's ?). But that's just me. Classic Lester and Webster and others on this makes it very nice, though. It's just not as intimate and life like as the others I've mentioned.

Edited August 6, 2004 by wolff

[John L]

Wolff:

Columbia has recently remastered these recordings to great effect. They now sound fantastic, at least to my ears.

For me, that will always be the peak for Billie.

[neveronfriday]

Columbia has recently remastered these recordings to great effect.

Which CD is that? Title/Year?

[John L]

Columbia has recently remastered these recordings to great effect.

Which CD is that? Title/Year?

Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "recent," as this remastering was done 3-4 years ago for the complete box set, "The Voice of Jazz." I imagine that all of the Columbia compilations on Sony released after that time use the same remastering.

I am not an audiophile in general, but was absolutely amazed at what they were able to do relative to past reissues like the "Golden Years" series mentioned above. Yes, sound quality used to be a reason why many preferred the later recordings. But I don't think that it is really much of an issue any more.

By the way, If I could have only one box set in my collection, "The Voice of Jazz" would be it.

Edited August 9, 2004 by John L

[ghost of miles]

The Holiday Columbia recordings were re-issued yet again as individual CDs recently by Sony, in four volumes, I believe.

Count me as another fan of the Decca period--although I'm a fan of every period when it comes to Holiday. And yes, Brownie, those Decca alternates are beauts. I'm particular fond of the alternate "No More," which, even through the bad audio quality, emotes an even darker and moodier vibe than the master.

[montg]

A month or two ago I heard 'Autumn in New York' by BH in a bookstore. It was one of the most moving vocals I'd ever heard but I wasn't sure where to find it. Fortunately, I found it by luck last night and just purchased this recording from 1952:

It'll be my first foray into 1950s Billie Holiday.

[ghost of miles]

A month or two ago I heard 'Autumn in New York' by BH in a bookstore. It was one of the most moving vocals I'd ever heard but I wasn't sure where to find it. Fortunately, I found it by luck last night and just purchased this recording from 1952:

It'll be my first foray into 1950s Billie Holiday.

Hey montg, that just happens to be my choice for AOTW this week!

Solitude

You picked a good one.

[wolff]

Wolff:

Columbia has recently remastered these recordings to great effect.  They now sound fantastic, at least to my ears.

For me, that will always be the peak for Billie.

I have some free CD's to use up at Columbia House.

Are these the discs you mention? They have the other 3 availble, too.

Billie Holiday Collection Vol. 4

1. Man I Love, The

2. Ghost Of Yesterday

3. Body And Soul

4. Falling In Love Again

5. St. Louis Blues

6. Loveless Love

7. Let's Do It

8. Georgia On My Mind

9. All Of Me

10. God Bless The Child

11. Am I Blue?

12. Solitude

13. I Cover The Waterfront

14. Love Me Or Leave Me

15. Gloomy Sunday

16. Until The Real Thing Comes Along

17. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me

18. I Love My Man (Billie's Blues

[John L]

Wolff:

Columbia has recently remastered these recordings to great effect.  They now sound fantastic, at least to my ears.

For me, that will always be the peak for Billie.

I have some free CD's to use up at Columbia House.

Are these the discs you mention? They have the other 3 availble, too.

Billie Holiday Collection Vol. 4

1. Man I Love, The

2. Ghost Of Yesterday

3. Body And Soul

4. Falling In Love Again

5. St. Louis Blues

6. Loveless Love

7. Let's Do It

8. Georgia On My Mind

9. All Of Me

10. God Bless The Child

11. Am I Blue?

12. Solitude

13. I Cover The Waterfront

14. Love Me Or Leave Me

15. Gloomy Sunday

16. Until The Real Thing Comes Along

17. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me

18. I Love My Man (Billie's Blues

Wolff: I don't know that particular series. So someone else should confirm that those are the latest remasters. I imagine that anything that Columbia issued after their Complete Lady Day set should have the new remasters.

[Enterprise Server]

I agree with the Decca (1944 and 1950) and Columbia recordings. I particularly enjoy the Columbia and Commodore recordings because these recordings are where I cut my teeth on Billie’s music. Besides, those Columbia and Commodore recordings reflect the voice and energy of a very young Billie.

A number of Billie Columbia compilations have been released over the years (Initially Columbia Records refused to Strange Fruit because of fears that it would alienate white record buyers, but eventually she was allowed to record it for their subsidiary company, Commodore Records).

Some very nice linear notes and historical photographs have been part of these ongoing reissues. I don’t think the Verve recordings hold up to the Decca, Columbia and Commodore recordings however. The ravages of alcohol and drugs are clearly evident in these later recordings. The recordings with Artie Shaw, Count Basie,Teddy Wilson and some fine Decca musicians showcased her at the zenith of her abilities.