From Anita & Ella To Nina & Sassy: Celebrated Songstresses Of Jazz & Standards

It is really a shame that series of CDs died out. I wish they had continued.

 

Abbey was invited for a special concert by the New York State Legislature's Black Political Caucus in Albany NY for a Black History Month celebration. That caucus was comprised of African American State Senators and Assemblymen and their staffs. Though the concert was a public concert, the only tickets available to the public were on the two wings, stage left and right. All the seats in the center were reserved for the Black Political Caucus. At the concert, the two wings were completely sold out, but the center was sparsely populated by partying and drunk politicians ad their escorts.

The politicians and their girlfriends caroused, drank openly to the point of stumbling and falling, and laughed and guffawed all through Abbey's intense concert, even giggling and groping each other during her very serious song intro's. Her concert was dedicated to Billie Holiday and other black women artists.

The distractions were intense and very severe. Abbey struggled through and did her best to maintain composure. She had agreed to meet me after the concert, but as she left the stage, she was in tears and had to take some real time to regain her ability to speak. I was there offstage when she came off.

I don't remember the exact date (I will later), but it was in the heart of her Verve years, after she had gained wide recognition as a leading artist of all time.

This was just another lesson about how shallow and self-centered all politicians are.

 

This 3LP set was released in 1962
Then in 2000 Mosaic used this Artworks for their Complete Columbia box.

And 3 years later Definitive Records, Spain used it for their two 4CD sets Vol.1 and Vol.2:



I'm reminding all of that because at the same time Columbia released another 3LP set with a series-like similar design:



It also was released in 3 separate Volumes:

 

Ok, guys, point is:
This set was not ever released on CD until now:

Billie Holiday The Golden Years 2CD Poll Winners Records, Spain May 25, 2018 8436559465137

"Originally released as a triple LP set in 1962, only three years after the singer’s untimely death, "The Golden Years" (Columbia C3L-21) puts together 48 of Billie’s best performances from that glorious period, selected by well-known record producer and historian Frank Driggs. Four extra songs from the same sessions not included on the original set have been added here as a bonus."

BILLIE HOLIDAY, vocals on all tracks.
Featuring: Teddy Wilson (p), Lester Young, Ben Webster, Chu Berry (ts),
Jonah Jones, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Bunny Berigan, Harry “Sweets” Edison (tp), Benny Goodman, Jimmy Hamilton, Buster Bailey (cl), Johnny Hodges (as), Freddie Green (g), Walter Page, John Kirby (b), Jo Jones, Cozy Cole (d), among many others.
Recorded in New York, 1933-1941.
Includes 20-page booklet

LPs sound good and all my Poll Winners CDs sound very good, so I count on a good sound of this release as well.

I preordered it for $10.79 from here:
Billie Holiday Golden Years [Import] Remastered, With Book, Spain - Import, 2PC on ImportCDs
and will report on a sound.

 

Cool. Another "gray market" release. I don't need to buy it, I have this material in official cd releases.

 

Let see how those will stand against new remaster...

 

Go ahead. Stealing another's mastering and eq'ing it (what is likely to have happened) doesn't interest me.

 

I agree. I cannot call anything a "remaster" where an existing issue (from any CD or LP) is simply sent through a black box and had a few knobs twisted.

I do not mind greymarket companies that make hard to find recordings or otherwise out of print sessions readily available.

Now if this company took actual 78s and did their own transfers, I might be very interested

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bessie-Smith-Story-Gatefold-Vinyl/dp/B01MZBOGT9/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1525646121&sr=1-2&refinements=p_32:Bessie+Smith





Bessie Smith

 

Check this webpage out. See how many you have

Vintage Vanguard ジャズレコード館

 

New Release

Nina Simon The Colpix Singles Digisleave Parlophone 2018 0190295735869

As mentioned it before, Colpix and Parlophone belong to Warner now and they did good job on remastering and packaging of this 2CD set. Remastered from original master tapes (where it was possible - see pictures), it sounds excellent. Everything was done with love, including nice and informative booklet.

 

Nina Simone. "I got it bad (and that ain't good)"

Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind (Original)

Recommended.

 

Nina Simone may be the supreme example of an artist who has been appreciated far, far more in death than during her life. I went to attend a concert by Nina, her first in the USA in years. The concert was cancelled at showtime because only three people bought tickets (including the two that I bought).

I still have a hard time understanding how widely ignored she was in comparison to how widely she is worshiped today

 

She is my favorite singer. Pretty much flawless no matter the context. And a fine actress.

 

Regarding the Nina Simone concert; Unbelievable! and outrageous in the true meaning of the word. An outrage! What was the year of that travesty? I saw her at the Fillmore East in May of 1970 and tickets were at a premium. She and the concert were stunners.

 

Right now I am forgetting whether it was 1983 or 1984. Nina came from France to perform in Montreal and decided to swing down and make an appearance in Northampton Mass (a very hip town). there were three people in the club (including my lady and myself) and it was more than a half hour after her set was supposed to start. The owner came out and apologized that Nina could not make it. Though many performers might have gone on, I don't blame her. I bet she was in the building.

 

I've had that set for decades and it's nice, but the Commodore sessions are the ones I return to most, and I grew up with The Original Recordings which is a great single disc comp released in 1973.

 

Thank you for filling me in a bit on that night. I also could not imagine blaming her; but I also can't help but imagine what might have been; that it could have been a classic concert. Think if she'd reacted by saying; screw all of you; this is going to be the show of my life ...and it was!

 

As I said, Keely's smoky voice gives me a chill. Unfortunately, I could not find on youtube my favorite 'And I Love Him'... It's wonderful how she managed to sing these early Beatles songs differently with the jazzy feel and at the same time to be faithful to their melodies.

This album is for all of us, who love Keely Smith and appreciate her talent and all beauty of her voice.

In addition, I want to thank mastering engineer Mike Milchner, producers and all team, who put a lot of soul in this work.
Only one thing is unfortunate that Keely did not live to see this release.

 

This is correct Post # 94, sorry about that.

OK, guys, album just arrived, and I can confirm:
The sound is top notch, interesting liner notes and rare photos...











Then please read Post #95

 

One more position from the list of 50 The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums by Will Friedwald (Post #48, Page 2)

Position 2: Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington Blue Rose

Review

"The Japanese Do It Best
I have the 1999 Columbia Legacy release of this album with its great liner notes by Will Friedwald which I have enjoyed listening to over the years. However, this new release from Sony Music, Japan, is such a vast improvement over the former that I still cannot believe it. I have often wondered if the original Duke Ellington tracks (recorded in New York and later layered with Clooney's vocals which were recorded in California) might exist to create a stereo version but there is no need now for even though this is indeed a mono recording, Rosemary's voice is clearer and closer than ever. And the orchestra sounds crisper with the brass section truly brassy. No kidding folks; this is one of those times when you need to update an album for better sound. The CD also as the two bonus recordings that the Legacy version first issued: "I You Were In My Place" and "Just a Sittin' and a Rockin'". The liner notes, as can be expected from these Japanese releases, are in Japanese while the lyrics are in English. I took the booklet from the Legacy version (minus the front cover) and slipped it in the four page liner notes booklet of this new release. Then I'll give the older CD to a friend to introduce him to one of Clooney's best albums and still have the excellent booklet with wonderful photos that was produced by Didier C. Deutsch."
(Bruce K. Hanson, author of 'For the Record: Confessions of a Vinyl-Soundtrack Junkie', March 8, 2014)

Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington Blue Rose +2 Sony 2014 [Limited Pressing; Priced-down Reissue] 4547366210965

(translation)
Blue Rose + 2 [Production Limited Special Price Edition] / Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington Orchestra
"From the rich jazz catalog owned by Sony Music, mainly Columbia and RCA, the two largest labels in the United States, 100 titles including a rare CD which is expected to be recurrent for the long time and rare discs which are difficult to obtain at a special price of 1,000 yen + tax (1,500 yen + tax for 2). Swing Jazz No. 1 pianist, Teddy Wilson, brought in with the other members so-called Brunswick session. ◇ New liner notes / JAZZ COLLECTION 1000 series with limited time production (until the end of March 2015)"

The best part:
This album is still available for about $9:
Blue Rose [Limited Pressing] [Priced-down Reissue] Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington CD Album





Highly recommended.

 

Have this cd, and The Beatles songs cd, very nice work.

Was just listening to the only Aretha cd I have, called Unforgettable - a tribute to Dinah Washington. Aretha tends to over-sing to my ears, but some of the arrangements on this album are excellent. The booklet tells me it was released in 1964.

 

And off I go to place my order! I have the earlier CD release of this album (which I've never been very excited about), so an improved version is most welcome. Can't wait to hear this one with decent sonics!

 

There are actually other versions of Cry Me a River. There is a 70s version with the London Symphony Orchestra plastered on top on Love Letters from Ella from about ten years ago. Where this comes from is something of a mystery - perhaps somebody here knows. There is another version on DVD (although out of print) with Joe Pass from a 1975 concert in Hanover. I did wonder for a moment if it was this version that had been toyed with for the LSO track, but the phrasing is different.



There have been some really nice Ella concerts released over the last few years, both officially and unofficially. The Live in Paris 3CD set is well worth a purchase, not least because it contains the only Ella version of Straighten Up and Fly Right available at retail as far as I'm aware (although she sang it quite often in concert). It's not a great rendition, but its a very nice set overall.