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Re: Too bad (Reply to this comment)
by Pantagruel
To respond to a few comments, "Strange Fruit" was not recorded while Billie was at Decca and therefore would not have qualified for inclusion on this CD.
Nice review, Shelley.
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Dec 07 '05
9:46 pm PST
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Too bad (Reply to this comment)
by Horswispr
Strange Fruit isn't on this collection. Gives me chills every time.
--Colin
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Dec 03 '05
11:06 pm PST
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Re: Wow, with all those disclaimers... (Reply to this comment)
by lambchops
Thanks Mike for commenting. I didn't want to go overboard as I couldn't properly find the words for most of what I felt and heard on the record. I know so very little about jazz--heck, it's only my second jazz review (if you don't count the occasional alternative-rock-pop-jazz bit I've reviewed).
I do appreciate the compliments, especially from you since you KNOW the genre.
Shelly.
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Nov 29 '05
3:57 am PST
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Re: Short Sighted Compilation (Reply to this comment)
by lambchops
Yeah...I knew somebody would comment this precisely. Maybe I'll check out another from her--I just feel fortunate to have stumbled upon it in a used store. It seemed strange that anybody would discard it.
Thanks, Paul, for stopping by (as always!).
Shelly.
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Nov 29 '05
3:55 am PST
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Wow, with all those disclaimers... (Reply to this comment)
by mike.holmes
You'd think you weren't a knowledgeable fan. What I've found out is that when music moves you, no matter the genre, the reviewer can write an excellent review such as this. You actually captured the essence of Lady Day better than many so-called experts. Having been brought up on jazz, it took me a long time to fully appreciate Ms. H. For one thing, her voice was not the pure sound of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn or Carmen McRae.
What Billie did though was as you so rightly describe: she sounded like an instrument. The players of her time loved to accompany her. I had the privilege of interviewing one such musician: Milt "The Judge" Hinton played bass with her and took one of the most famous photos of her. That photo perfectly captured the sadness which you describe. Taken in her latter years when her voice was failing but her ability to communicate jazz was not, the picture is a work of art.
One omission from this collection that surprises me is her scathing indictment of Jim Crowism called "Strange Fruit." Thanks for this wonderful review.
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Nov 28 '05
9:38 pm PST
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Short Sighted Compilation (Reply to this comment)
by pduval69
I must agree, especially with the omission of songs like Strange Fruit and Love For Sale... although any Billie Holiday is still good Billie Holiday. Noting flaws with her is like finding fault with Shakespeare.
Now if you're up to taking a step further, I have to recommend the Columbia album "A Musical Romance", which consists of songs she did with sax legend (and her on-and-off lover) Lester Young. It includes songs from her last TV appearance, which was also their last goodbye for real. Not too long after that, Lester drank himself to death and she later perished from heroin. Knowing the history behind that TV special while listening makes it even more sad and powerful.
Cheers,
Paul
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Nov 28 '05
5:35 pm PST
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