Billie Holiday CD & book recommedations

Before everyone starts throwing out CD titles, I have:
Lady Day: Best Of (Columbia era)
Best Of (Decca era)- SH mastered
Lady In Autumn (Verve era)
Lady In Satin (her famous last Columbia album)
&
Ken Burns Jazz

So..I love the Verve era-on (1944-1959). On Amazon they have that Verve 6 disc Billie Holiday Series. Should I get this or that 10 disc verve box? there other albums live or studio that are must haves. I'd rather have her individual albums as well.

What's the best book on her? I was going to get her autioobiography but I guess there's better books out there.

Help!

 

I couldn't live without The Commodore Master Takes: (The Commodore Master Takes).

There's also a complete Commodore Recordings that is a two CD set with multiple takes of most of the songs included in the set above. I really think this is some of her best stuff. I like it more than the Decca box set, which is also very good.

 

I love Billie's later sonmgs on Verve too. My favourite album of hers, and one of the first CDs I purchased back in 198mumble, is Songs for distingue lovers.

 

Lady In Satin, not for her vocal quality but the emotions she puts in her singing.


Even if you don't get the Columbia box set, at least get all the earlier Columbia "Quintessential" reissues (or some other compilation) where Lester Young is present. The interaction between the two on these recordings are just magical. Desert isle music IMO.

 

The Verve box does not have the best sound. i think that both the 6 series and the verve box were released over 10 years ago. The most recent releases on the verve master takes series are far superior. There's only two so far: 'Body and Soul' and "Songs for dist. lovers". "Songs.." is definitely the best album, and it includes a bunch of tracks from "body and soul". That is an essential album, you need that, and the sound is very good.

 

I'll go for those then. I have the Lady in Satin album.

I wish Steve would do more Billie Holiday stuff on gold disc. That would be awesome.

 

I will probably be picking up the Columbia box today with a coupon I have.

 

Lucky you. I think that is one of the top 5 essential jazz purchases.

 

The Columbia box has the best transfers of the 30's stuff. Note that the transfers from "Lady Day-The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933-1944" (Columbia Legacy CXK 85470) are now available on separate, mid-priced CDs. Volume 2 in that series has the unforgettable first session with Lester Young. "All or Nothing At All" (Verve 314 529 226-2) combines three great late-period Billie Holiday LPs: "Body & Soul", "All or Nothing At All" & "Songs for Distingue Lovers". Top recommendation.
Easily the best of the books on Billie is Donald Clarke's throughly revisionist "Wishing on the Moon". Lady Day comes off as someone who could really dish it out. You wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of a fight with her. It's my second favorite musical bio, right after Nick Tosches' "Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams".

 

Bought a cd in Florence called "There Is No Greater Love".


It is from a German record label called Past Perfect. The front of the CD claims "State of the art digital mastering". Have to say, it sounds damn good and the track list is very solid.

 

I'll take bright and tweaked over those Columbia CD's any day. At least you can hear the instruments! Those songs had a lot of subtlety that the Col's squish away.

Don't forget the SH-mastered single-disc Decca-era disc. Required listening if only for sound quality...wow!

 

Hey acjetnut:
Welcome to The Forum.
Happy Holidays! Keep on posting!

Peace-
Norm

 

thanks norm!


_Alan