|
1
|
Miss
Brown To You
|
10
|
A Fine
Romance
|
|
2
|
Easy
Living
|
11
|
Mean
To Me
|
|
3
|
These
Foolish Things
|
12
|
Fine
And Mellow
|
|
4
|
Some
Other Spring
|
13
|
My Man
|
|
5
|
I Wished
On The Moon
|
14
|
Easy
To Love
|
|
6
|
For
Heaven’s Sake
|
15
|
Pennies
From Heaven
|
|
7
|
This
Year’s Kisses
|
16
|
You’ve
Changed
|
|
8
|
What
a Little Moonlight Can Do
|
17
|
God
Bless The Child
|
|
9
|
A Sailboat
In The Moonlight
|
|
|
This
compilation covers the last twenty-three years of the life and tempestuous
career of ‘the’ acclaimed female vocalist who emerged in the 1930s
– Billie Holiday. Unlike many female singers, who mature as the years
roll on, the 30s was her peak period before drink and drugs began
to take their toll. Thirteen of the tracks come from those early years.
Having said that I was especially attracted to the 1958 version of
You’ve Changed. Overall we also have the opportunity to hear
a host of accompanying musicians whose collective names provide a
who’s who of the finest in jazz.
Taking
the popular title These Foolish Things, the outcome is typical
of Holiday’s work in the 30s and her polished style and unique sense
of timing are more evident here than on some of the other tracks.
As expected, soloists Teddy Wilson, Harry Carney and Johnny Hodges
give highly creditable accounts of themselves. A similar high standard
is maintained throughout the disc.
No
doubt the Billie Holiday specialists will already have most, if not
all, of what there is here. For others this CD provides a very acceptable
variety of songs performed by an artiste considered by many as the
greatest female jazz singer of all time.
Jack Ashby
CD Reviews
columbia
jazz SMM5096242
