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She loves it. She is a fan of this artist, and was wanting this for a long time. Gave it as a gife to her.
The best treat in this candy dish is hearing her sing with Count Basie on the piano, in THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME. This one is a must-have if you want to assemble a top-flight Billie Holiday collection. A NOTE ABOUT THE ALBUM COVER ART - Take a look at the second version of the cover art with Holiday's portrait - this is the cover of the CD we picked up. The Sony remasterings are brilliant and even, and very far above the so-so quality of most Lady Day anthologies - don't pass this one up. All the recordings were made between 1935-1942 when her perfect natural voice was still like a bell, and her musical instincts were in full bloom. Unlike her later recordings, there is no sign of the sad toll her lifestyle took on her voice.
Many of these sessions were led by Teddy Wilson (the leader with whom she is most closely associated during this period), who led on nearly half of the selections on this CD, and features legends like Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Buck Clayton.The songs are of a higher quality than many of the pieces Holiday was given to record during her earliest recording years (probably due to the strength of her fame by the mid-1930s), and her renditions of 'All of Me', 'You Go to My Head', 'The Very Thought of You', and 'The Way You Look Tonight', are comparable with any versions of these standards. My personal favorite on this CD, it features marvelous reed solos (especially trumpet and the opening clarinet solo) and an impeccable rhythm session with Milt Hinton on bass, Gene Krupa on drums, and Teddy Wilson on piano. Along with 'Lady in Autumn' this is probably the best compilation of Billie Holiday's work. (It should be noted that Holiday's gift was so unique that she didn't have to 'learn' her craft: her earliest recordings are classics (a distinction even the great Ella Fitzgerald doesn't enjoy, as Ella's best recordings didn't begin until the 1950s)).These performances represent Holiday's voice in its physical prime, and her sound is so profound that even the exceptional soloists and session musicians cannot upstage her, though she really gets a run for her money on 'The Way You Look Tonight'. Indeed, it is worth purchasing the CD just to hear Holiday's fellow musicians.This CD belongs in any credible jazz collection, and is a wonderful entry for anyone wanting exposure to the best music of this period. Superbly remastered, it is arguably the finest representation of jazz singing in this period EXCEPT for Lady's other recordings during this time. The reason for this is not only Billie Holiday's extraordinary sound (which defined jazz singing with each note), but the quality of the musicians who accompanied her.
It's a pleasure to hear great jazz and such an incredible voice. I can listen to it all day. Anybody who loves jazz and the blues cannot be without this Billie Holiday CD. I love it.
EVERY serious lover of music needs this work to add to their collection. This cd was the first Billie Holiday I ever purchased. I am a fan for life. I had no idea how special she was and how timeless her work. WOW. She is the greatest, bar none.
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