full cds in flac with cue files
Scott Yanow - all Music Guide
This is a rather incredible collection: ten CDs enclosed in a tight black box that includes every one of the recordings Verve owns of Billie Holiday, not only the many studio recordings of 1952-57 (which feature Lady Day joined by such jazz all-stars as trumpeters Charlie Shavers and Harry "Sweets" Edison, altoist Benny Carter, and the tenors of Flip Phillips, Paul Quinichette and Ben Webster). Also included are prime performances at Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts in 1945-1947, an enjoyable European gig from 1954, her "comeback" Carnegie Hall concert of 1956, Holiday's rather sad final studio album from 1959, and even lengthy tapes from two informal rehearsals. It's a perfect purchase for the true Billie Holiday fanatic.
Amazon.com
That's right: Ten CDs with everything Billie Holiday recorded on Verve Records between 1945 and her death in 1959--not only the songs, but concert introductions, some of the rehearsals, and between-take studio chatter, too. All of which makes for a definitive portrait of Lady Day in her final years. For a long time these recordings were disparaged because it was said her voice was no longer fine and mellow, "ravaged" by hard living, jail time, booze, and drugs. And there's no question that her later tone is darker, more brittle and unstable than it had been in the '30s--but somehow I find myself listening to this music more often than those Brunswick/Columbia or Decca sides, anyway. Like Frank Sinatra, who so often paid tribute to her influence, Holiday's artistry was never based on virtuosity; it was about interpretation, bringing out the emotions in a song and giving a personal reading. She never stopped doing that, and for all the "strange fruit" you'll find in this collection, it's a gold mine. --Jim Emerson
vervemusicgroup
Includes a 220-page book with liner notes, photographs, reproductions of Billie Holiday's Verve album covers, and extensive interviews with Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Barney Kessel. Of 10 CDs contained in the set, 8 are of studio and concert recordings, including her Carnegie Hall debut concert, Jazz At The Philharmonic recordings, Lady Day's last recording session, and 2 unissued alternate takes. The other 2 CDs contain rehearsal sessions.
CD Universe
Very few contemporary artists are worthy of exhaustive, multiple-CD retrospectives, but the jazz legend Billie Holiday certainly makes the cut. This 10-CD set, with a hard-bound, lavishly photographed accompanying book, is a must for serious fans of Lady Day and those with a deep interest in the history of classic jazz. While some buffs contend that it was Holiday's earlier recordings for Columbia and Decca that were her best, many aficionados find her final recordings during the Verve years to be her richest, most mature and most poignant work. At this point, the heartache in her voice was nearly palpable. The collection--with its multiple takes, rehearsal recordings, transcripts of conversations, interviews with collaborators, live recordings and more--has enough music and history to keep Holiday fans engrossed for years to come. By the mid-1940s, Holiday's many vices had culminated into full-blown heroin addiction, and her voice--the unique instrument that made her a legend--was beginning to suffer along with her weakened body. But Verve's fine roster of legendary jazzmen--both up-and-comers like Barney Kessel and Oscar Peterson, and aging masters like Ben Webster--bolstered her singing with their sympathetic and masterly accompaniment.
"...[Billie Holiday] had innate musicianship that surpassed technique and it maintained her art even as her voice and her life deteriorated. In her late career, when she seemed to be operating only on existential pain, she produced singing that reaches the deepest levels of human emotional response..."
By Robert Holliston
There are many rehearsal cuts in this box set, which may not be of interest to all listeners. Plus, there are many live performances recorded with less than ideal equipment.
That said, this is THE collection for those of us who love Billie's 1950s work. It's all here, and it's all wonderful - those who agree with Miles Davis that Lady Day's chief attribute during this decade was her rhythmic flexibility will be more than satisfied, and those who love her expressiveness will be more than amply rewarded.
The accompaniments are exemplary, featuring many of the greatest players of that Golden Era.
Plus, of course, she's singing some of the greatest songs ever written, and her attention to lyrics is beyond comparison.
She never had Ella's vocal range and flexibility and virtuosity (or her sweetness of sound); she never came close to Sarah's level of musicianship (or her richness of sound). But this set will convince you that Billie was the greatest of the great: to borrow from Virginia Woolf, among major jazz singers, Billie is the hardest to catch at the act of being great.
This is an important release. Miss it at your soul's peril.
Personnel:
Billie Holiday (vocals)
Willie Smith, Benny Carter (alto saxophone)
Illinois Jacquet, Wardell Gray, Charlie Ventura, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone)
Howard McGee, Buck Clayton, Charlie Shavers, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge (trumpet)
Trummy Young (trombone)
Red Norvo (vibraphone)
Milt Raskin, Ken Kersey, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Clark, Billy Taylor, Jimmy Rowles, Wynton Kelly, Tony Scott, Mal Waldron (piano)
Freddie Green (guitar)
Tiny Grimes, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis (electric guitar)
Charles Mingus, Curly Russell, Al McKibbon, Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, Milt Hinton, Joe Benjamin (bass)
David Coleman, J.C. Heard, Alvin Stoller, Ed Shaughnessy, Cozy Cole, Jo Jones (drums)
Producers include: Norman Granz, Ray Ellis, Leonard Feather, Leroy Lovett, Tony Scott.
Compilation producer: Phil Schaap.
Includes liner notes by Buck Clayton, Phil Schaap, Bob Porter, and Joel E. Siegel.
Digitally remastered by Thomas "Curly" Ruff, Suha Gur, Andrew Nicholas, Joseph M. Palmaccio, Patrick Ryan (Polygram Studios).
Track List:
Disc 1
1. Body And Soul
2. Strange Fruit
3. I Cried For You
4. Fine And Mellow
5. He's Funny That Way
6. The Man I Love
7. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
8. All Of Me
9. Billie's Blues (Aka I Love My Man)
10. Travelin' Light
11. He's Funny That Way
12. Norman Granz 'Announcement'
13. You Better Go Now
14. You're Driving Me Crazy
15. There Is No Greater Love
16. I Cover The Waterfront
17. Norman Granz 'Announcement'
18. East Of The Sun
19. Blue Moon
20. You Go To My Head
21. You Turned The Tables On Me
22. Easy To Love
23. These Foolish Things
24. I Only Have Eyes For You
25. Solitude
Disc 2
1. Everything I Have Is Yours
2. Love For Sale
3. Moonglow
4. Tenderly
5. If The Moon Turns Green
6. Remember
7. Autumn In New York (Common Take - LP)
8. Autumn In New York (Rare Take - 78 RPM)
9. My Man
10. Lover, Come Back To Me
11. Stormy Weather
12. Yesterdays
13. He's Funny That Way
14. I Can't Face The Music
15. MC and Leonard Feather 'Announcements'
16. Blue Moon
17. All Of Me
18. My Man
19. Them There Eyes
20. I Cried For You
21. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
22. I Cover The Waterfront
23. Leonard Feather 'Announcement'
24. Billie's Blues (I Love My Man)
Disc 3
1. Lover, Come Back To Me
2. How Deep Is The Ocean?
3. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
4. I Cried For You
5. Love Me Or Leave Me
6. P.S. I Love You
7. Too Marvelous For Words
8. Softly
9. I Thought About You
10. Willow Weep For Me
11. Stormy Blues
12. Say It Isn't So
13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
14. I Wished On The Moon
15. Always
16. Everything Happens To Me
17. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
18. Ain't Misbehavin'
Disc 4
1. Nice Work If You Can Get It - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
2. Discussion; Nice Work If You Can Get It - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
3. Mandy Is Two - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
4. Prelude To A Kiss - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
5. I Must Have That Man! - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
6. Jeepers Creepers - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
7. Jeepers Creepers - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
8. Discussion/Jeepers Creepers - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
9. Discussion/Jeepers Creepers - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
10. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
11. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
12. Discussion/Moonlight In Vermont - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
13. Misery - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
14. Restless - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
15. Moonlight In Vermont - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
16. Everything Happens To Me - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
17. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
18. I Don't Want To Cry Any More - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
19. I Don't Want To Cry Any More - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
20. Discussion/I Don't Want To Cry Any More - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
21. Everything Happens To Me - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
22. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
23. When You Are Away, Dear - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
24. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
25. It Had To Be You - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
26. The Mood That I'm In - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
27. Gone With The Wind - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
28. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
29. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
30. A Sunbonnet Blue - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
31. (I Dont' Stand A) Ghost Of A Chance - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
32. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
33. I'm Walkin' Though Heaven With You - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
34. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
35. Just Friends - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
36. The Nearness Of You - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
37. Discussion - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
38. It's Too Hot For Words - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
39. They Say - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
40. I Won't Believe It - With Jimmy Rowles/Artie Shapiro
Disc 5
1. I Don't Want To Cry Any More (Take 1 - False Start)
2. I Don't Want To Cry Any More (Take 2 - Master Take)
3. Studio Talk: Prelude To A Kiss (Take 1 - False Start)
4. Studio Talk: Prelude To A Kiss (Take 2 - Incomplete Take)
5. Prelude To A Kiss (Take 3 - Master Take)
6. (I Don't Stand A) Ghost Of A Chance
7. When Your Lover has Gone (Take 1 - Incomplete Take)
8. Studio Talk: When Your Lover Has Gone (Take 2 - Incomplete Take)
9. Studio Talk
10. When Your Lover Has Gone (Take 3 - Master Take)
11. Gone With The Wind
12. Studio Talk
13. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
14. It Had To Be You
15. Studio Talk
16. Nice Work If You Can Get It
17. Come Rain Or Come Shine
18. I Got A Right To Sing The Blues
19. What's New?
20. A Fine Romance (Take 1 - Incomplete Take)
21. A Fine Romance (Take 2 - Alternate Take)
22. A Fine Romance (Take 3 - False Start)
23. A Fine Romance (Take 4 - Incomplete Take)
24. A Fine Romance (Take 5 - Incomplete Take)
25. A Fine Romance (Take 6 - False Start)
26. A Fine Romance (Take 7 - Incomplete Take)
27. A Fine Romance (Take 8 - Master Take)
28. Studio Talk
29. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
Disc 6
1. I Get A Kick Out Of You
2. Everything I Have Is Yours
3. Isn't This A Lovely Day?
4. Discussion/Misery
5. Israel
6. Misery
7. Discussion
8. I Must Have That Man!
9. Discussion
10. Strange Fruit
11. Discussion: God Bless The Child
12. Discussion
13. God Bless The Child
14. God Bless The Child
15. Discussion
16. God Bless The Child
17. One Never Knows, Does One?
18. Discussion
19. Beer Barrel Polka (Aka Roll Out The Barrel)
20. Some Of These Days
21. A Yiddishe Momme
22. A Yiddishe Momme
23. Discussion
24. Lady's Back In Town
25. Discussion
26. Discussion
27. One Never Knows, Does One?
28. Discussion
29. (Unknown Title)
Disc 7
1. Travelin' Light
2. I Must Have That Man!
3. Some Other Spring
4. Lady Sings The Blues
5. Strange Fruit
6. God Bless The Child
7. Good Morning Heartache
8. No Good Man
9. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
10. Cheek To Cheek
11. Ill Wind
12. Speak Low
13. We'll Be Together Again
14. All Or Nothing At All
15. Sophisticated Lady
16. April In Paris
Disc 8
1.Lady Sings The Blues (With Reading From 'Lady Sings The Blues')
2.Lady Sings The Blues
3.Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
4.Travelin' Light (With Reading From 'Lady Sings The Blues')
5.Reading From 'Lady Sings The Blues'
6.Billie's Blues (Aka I Love My Man)
7.Body and Soul
8.Reading From 'Lady Sings The Blues'
9.Don't Explain
10.Yesterdays
11.Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
12.I'll Be Seeing You
13.Reading From 'Lady Sings The Blues'
14.My Man
15.I Cried For You
16.Fine And Mellow
17.I Cover The Waterfront
18.What A Little Moonlight Can Do
19.I Wished On The Moon
20.Moonlight In Vermont
21.A Foggy Day (Stereo)
22.I Didn't Know What Time It Was
23.Just One Of Those Things (Take 7 - Incomplete Take)
24.Studio Talk
25.Just One Of Those Things (Take 8 - Master Take)
26.Studio Talk
27.Comes Love (Take 1 - Alternate Take)
28.Comes Love (Take 2 - False Start)
29.Comes Love (Take 3 - False Start)
30.Comes Love (Take 4 - Master Take)
Disc 9
1.Day In, Day Out (Stereo)
2.Darn That Dream
3.But Not For Me
4.Body And Soul
5.Studio Talk
6.Just Friends (Instrumental)
7.Studio Talk
8.Stars Fell On Alabama (Take 1 - Incomplete Take)
9.Stars Fell On Alabama (Take 2 - Master Take) (Stereo)
10.Studio Talk: Say It Isn't So (Take 1 - Incomplete Take)
11.Say It Isn't So (Take 2 - Master Take)
12.Studio Talk: Our Love Is Here To Stay (Take 1 - False Start)
13.Our Love Is Here To Stay (Take 2 - Master Take)
14.Studio Talk: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (Take 1 - False Start)
15.One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (Take 2 - Incomplete Take)
16.One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (Take 3 - Master Take)
17.They Can't Take That Away From Me
18.Embraceable You
19.Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
20.Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
Disc 10
1.Wills Conover Announcement
2.Johnny Mercer Announcement
3.Fanfare From Oh, Lady Be Good
4.Nice Work If You Can Get It
5.Willow Weep For Me
6.My Man
7.Lover, Come Back To Me
8.Lady Sings The Blues
9.What A Little Moonlight Can Do
10.Fanfare From Oh, Lady Be Good With Conover Announcement
11.Leonard Feather Announcement
12.I Wished On The Moon
13.Lover Man
14.All The Way
15.It's Not For Me To Say
16.I'll Never Smile Again
17.Just One More Chance
18.When It's Sleepy Time Down South
19.Don't Worry `Bout Me
20.Sometimes I'm Happy
21.You Took Advantage Me
22.There'll Be Some Changes Made
23.`Deed I Do
24.All Of You
25.Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?