BILLIE HOLIDAY – The Complete 1952-1957 Small Group Studio Sessions: Master Takes
Masterworks Series 707 (5 CD set)
Collective personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals) with Charlie Shavers, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Joe Newman (trumpet); Tony Scott (clarinet); Benny Carter, Willie Smith (alto saxophone); Ben Webster, Flip Phillips, Paul Quinchette, Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, Wynton Kelly, Billy Taylor, Bobby Tucker (piano); Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, Leonard Gaskin, Joe Mondragon, Aaron Bell, John Simmons (bass); Alvin Stoller, Chico Hamilton, Gus Johnson, Larry Bunker, Cozy Cole, Lennie McBrowne (drums)
Recorded in Los Angeles, Hollywood & New York between May 1952 & January 9, 1957
Bonus Tracks-
Billie Holiday (vocals), Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Mal Waldron (piano); Danny Barker (guitar); Jim Atlas (bass); Jo Jones (drums)
Recorded New York, December 5, 1957
Billie Holiday (vocals, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Mal Waldron (piano); unknown bass & drums
Recorded Persian Room, Plaza Hotel, New York, September 9, 1958
Arguably the greatest jazz singer of them all, the tumultuous and tormented life of Billie Holiday has often been apparent in her recorded work. If her early recordings still retain a hint of youthfulness, the innocence had certainly already been stripped away, and the vocalist sang with tinge of melancholy and loneliness that should not have been present in one so young.
If the small group titles cut between 1937 and 1941 with Lester Young are undisputed masterpieces, and arguably Holiday’s greatest work, then there has always been a strong case to support her later recordings as important milestones in jazz singing, and this impressive 5 CD certainly helps substantiate that claim. Comprising of no less than ten LPs recorded for Norman Granz’s labels, Billie Holiday, An Evening With Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday Sings, Lady Sings The Blues, Stay With Me, Music For Torching, Velvet Mood, All Or Nothing At All, Body & Soul and Songs for Dinstingue Lovers, with all the tracks presented in chronological order what more can anyone ask for?
Listening to this material again some 55 years after Billie’s death we have come to accept that there was a decline in her vocal range and now listen for the delivery and meaning that the singer brings to the songs, and can only marvel once again at how, despite the physical decline that Holiday can bring so much of herself to bear on the material. And it is perhaps because of this very fact that these sides have never been out of print since first released, and why the jazz fraternity rate this period of the singer’s life so highly.
Albums such as Lady Sings The Blues and Songs For Distingue Lovers have long been regarded as essential albums for any collection, but when heard in concentrated form as presented here what is impressive is the consistency throughout. As canny as ever, Granz has ensured that Holiday is not just presented with some of the best songs available but also top drawer musician’s to accompany her.
With soloists of the calibre of Benny Carter, Ben Webster and Harry “Sweets” Edison, and pianists Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles and Wynton Kelly you are guaranteed that there will never be a dull moment. Just listen for example to how Oscar Peterson on organ, not piano lifts ‘Yesterdays’, and his beautiful accompaniment (back on the more familiar piano) on the duet reading of ‘Love For Sale’; which is possibly topped by the other duet performance on ‘I Thought About You’ with pianist Bobby Tucker. However the star performer is of course Lady Day, making this set pretty much indispensable.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Masterworks Series 707 (5 CD set)
Collective personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals) with Charlie Shavers, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Joe Newman (trumpet); Tony Scott (clarinet); Benny Carter, Willie Smith (alto saxophone); Ben Webster, Flip Phillips, Paul Quinchette, Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, Wynton Kelly, Billy Taylor, Bobby Tucker (piano); Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, Leonard Gaskin, Joe Mondragon, Aaron Bell, John Simmons (bass); Alvin Stoller, Chico Hamilton, Gus Johnson, Larry Bunker, Cozy Cole, Lennie McBrowne (drums)
Recorded in Los Angeles, Hollywood & New York between May 1952 & January 9, 1957
Bonus Tracks-
Billie Holiday (vocals), Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Mal Waldron (piano); Danny Barker (guitar); Jim Atlas (bass); Jo Jones (drums)
Recorded New York, December 5, 1957
Billie Holiday (vocals, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Mal Waldron (piano); unknown bass & drums
Recorded Persian Room, Plaza Hotel, New York, September 9, 1958
Arguably the greatest jazz singer of them all, the tumultuous and tormented life of Billie Holiday has often been apparent in her recorded work. If her early recordings still retain a hint of youthfulness, the innocence had certainly already been stripped away, and the vocalist sang with tinge of melancholy and loneliness that should not have been present in one so young.
If the small group titles cut between 1937 and 1941 with Lester Young are undisputed masterpieces, and arguably Holiday’s greatest work, then there has always been a strong case to support her later recordings as important milestones in jazz singing, and this impressive 5 CD certainly helps substantiate that claim. Comprising of no less than ten LPs recorded for Norman Granz’s labels, Billie Holiday, An Evening With Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday Sings, Lady Sings The Blues, Stay With Me, Music For Torching, Velvet Mood, All Or Nothing At All, Body & Soul and Songs for Dinstingue Lovers, with all the tracks presented in chronological order what more can anyone ask for?
Listening to this material again some 55 years after Billie’s death we have come to accept that there was a decline in her vocal range and now listen for the delivery and meaning that the singer brings to the songs, and can only marvel once again at how, despite the physical decline that Holiday can bring so much of herself to bear on the material. And it is perhaps because of this very fact that these sides have never been out of print since first released, and why the jazz fraternity rate this period of the singer’s life so highly.
Albums such as Lady Sings The Blues and Songs For Distingue Lovers have long been regarded as essential albums for any collection, but when heard in concentrated form as presented here what is impressive is the consistency throughout. As canny as ever, Granz has ensured that Holiday is not just presented with some of the best songs available but also top drawer musician’s to accompany her.
With soloists of the calibre of Benny Carter, Ben Webster and Harry “Sweets” Edison, and pianists Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles and Wynton Kelly you are guaranteed that there will never be a dull moment. Just listen for example to how Oscar Peterson on organ, not piano lifts ‘Yesterdays’, and his beautiful accompaniment (back on the more familiar piano) on the duet reading of ‘Love For Sale’; which is possibly topped by the other duet performance on ‘I Thought About You’ with pianist Bobby Tucker. However the star performer is of course Lady Day, making this set pretty much indispensable.
Reviewed by Nick Lea