Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944) - Disc 05 of 10 CD Track Listing

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Billie Holiday Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944) - Disc 05 of 10 (2001)
Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944) - Disc 05 of 10\n2001 Columbia/Legacy\n\nOriginally Released October 2, 2001\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: When Sony/Columbia began its ambitious Legacy reissue project, those who followed their jazz titles knew it was only a question of time before the massive Billie Holiday catalog under their ownership would see the light in its entirety. The question was how? Years before there was a host of box sets devoted to her material, but the sound on those left something to be desired. Would they remaster the material in two- or three-disc sets with additional notes? Would it be one disc at a time? Would the material be issued as budget or midline material or at full price? The last item could be ruled out based on the label's aggressive and very thorough packages of single discs by Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and others. As for the box set issues, how could one successfully package this material with all of the foreign issues in a way that made sense? Again, there were fine precedents in the box set packages of the Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong packages, which are impeccably remastered, designed, and presented - six Grammy's worth. The answer lies in this lavishly designed ten-CD package that looks on the outside like a 78 album sleeve with a tucked book of notes, track annotations, and rare photographs, and a deck of wondrously remastered CDs that are sequenced in such a way that the entire Columbia story is told in a way that not only makes sense, but is compelling in its revelations of Holiday's development as a vocalist and an interpreter of songs from 1933. \n\nThe story begins with her first two recordings for the label with Benny Goodman in November and December of 1933, moves to two years later when she recorded another session, and ends some 43 sessions later in 1944 with her own band that starred Roy Eldridge, Barney Bigard, Art Tatum, Oscar Pettiford, and Sidney Catlett. These include a pair of V-disc recordings from that year. In all, this set contains 230 tracks. There are 153 masters recorded for Columbia and its subsidiaries, like Brunswick, Vocalion, Okeh, and Harmony. Thirty-five of these tracks have never before been issued in the United States, and those masters are included here beginning on CD seven and continuing throughout to the end of disc ten. \n\nMusically it is inarguable that these 11 years were the high point of Ms. Holiday's career, the stunning recordings she did with her own band that featured some of the greatest legends in jazz as well as those recorded with Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, Count Basie, Eddie Heywood, and even one with Duke Ellington's band in 1935 ("Saddest Tale") from Ellington's Symphony in Black recording session. Musicians like Hot Lips Page, Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Charlie Shavers, Freddie Greene, Jo Jones, Cozy Cole, Chu Berry, Henry "Red" Allen, Bud Freeman, Milt Hinton, Buck Clayton, Johnny Hodges, and literally dozens of others contribute to the development of the Holiday legend. \n\nWhat may appear confusing at the outset makes great sense as the set progresses. The first six discs are master takes recorded either with her orchestra or the other groups mentioned. Disc seven begins laying out the alternate takes and airchecks and personnel crisscrosses all over the set. While this might be irritating to some listeners, it serves a two-fold purpose: one is that the integrity of the American masters is preserved, and the second is that the alternates and check-ins can be heard in a sequence that makes sense historically and aesthetically. Believe me, since these too are laid out chronologically as alternates, it's a pleasure to listen to them rather than wading through five or six or even two takes of the same song laid back to back. It's also on the alternates, far from the masters, that we get a different perspective on process and development, not only in terms of Holiday's singing, but also the different accents added or deleted from the orchestral accompaniment. Lastly, being able to go back and forth in these takes, we get to witness the sharp juxtaposition of her development as a singer from the raw, early bluesy material influenced deeply by Bessie Smith to the master songstress who could nuance a maximum emotion from just a few notes, smoothly and without a trace of edginess. \n\nThe unissued masters are a cipher. Literally, it is confounding that these recordings were previously unavailable here in that they mark her reunion with Benny Goodman or other fine sessions with Basie or her vocal collaborations with Johnny Mercer in 1939. In many ways the purchase of the set is worth it for discs nine and ten alone, as well as the killer packaging. \nLastly, it would be shameful not to make mention of the truly amazing liner notes by the esteemed Gary Giddins. He needs no more accolades, but his writing here paints a far bigger portrait of Ms. Holiday's contribution and her era than any previously published. It's a biographical essay written with a critic's eye and holds no punches where Ms. Holiday's particular strengths and limitations lie, and he voices his own surprise at hearing certain things on the set he was previously unfamiliar with. This is a new standard in what liner notes for these kinds of projects should aim for: humanizing a legend and cultural myth and making the contribution stand out somehow as something that exists almost in spite of whatever the human being's life was like. There is also a fine cultural and socio-historical essay by Professor Farah Griffin from Columbia University. Her approach is Holiday's influence trans-aesthetically, her influence upon other singers, writers, painters, and photographers. It's a provocative read and is not written in the dread academy's attempt at communicable language. Griffin writes with heart and directness of purpose. There are tough arguments made here, but she makes them with grace and she makes them plainly. Finally, producer Michael Brooks provides - along with an introductory essay - a track-by-track analysis with all the data a jazz historian or musicologist could ever want, including matrix numbers. This set finally puts Ms. Holiday's massive contribution to 20th century art in fitting perspective. There are untold hours to spend listening here for the fanatic or the foundling. The package is worthy of your coffee table instead of a book of photographs of who knows what, and the wealth of knowledge it provides about the history of jazz is literally incalculable. -- Thom Jurek\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nThis box set earns the "deluxe" designation not only because of its handsome packaging, insightful essays by Holiday scholars, and testimonials from the likes of Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, and Etta James, but also because of the vastly improved remastered sound that makes Lady Day the definitive issue of Billie Holiday's pivotal 1930s and '40s Columbia/Vocalion/Brunswick/OKeh oeuvre. The sides here include epochal collaborations with Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, and others. Six-plus discs chronologically present 151 masters, with the rest of the 10 CDs' space given to alternate takes and radio air checks. \n\nIt was during the early years of this period, of course, that Holiday quickly developed into one of the 20th century's vocal monuments. Her incisive way with lyric and melody, often deploying playfulness, wit, and pain in a single song, became a model for both many a female singer, as well as Frank Sinatra and Marvin Gaye. These are records to be endlessly replayed for many kinds of appreciation. Played end to end, they introduce ideals of groove and emotional expression that remain fresh and even startling many years on. Lady Day is not only a perfect example of how to reissue key material, but is an album that will stand as a beacon for veteran Holiday fans and for the new ones it will no doubt attract. -- Rickey Wright \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nThe Lady sings..., December 29, 2001 \nReviewer: Jeff Harris (South San Francisco, CA United States)\nOne of the most lavish(and exhaustive, in good way)box sets to be released is "Lady Day-The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia (1933-1944)". Consisting of 230 tracks spread over 10 CD's, this set contains Lady Day's collaborations with Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman's Orchestras. Though some of the material is lackluster(which is to be expected on a compilation of this size)all of the standards that she cut for Columbia, Brunswick, Okeh, and Vocalion are included("All Of Me", "God Bless The Child", "Them There Eyes", "The Man I Love, "I Cried For You", etc...). The packaging is beautiful, with the box resembling a 78 record storage booklet. Housed inside the cover is a 120 page booklet with rare photos, reproductions of original 78 RPM labels, and essays from Gary Giddins, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Michael Brooks. Though the essays don't really shed any new light on Billie Holiday, they're well written and are an enjoyable read. The CD's themselves are packaged in heavy paper slip cases similar to what 78 records came packaged in. In theory it was a creative design idea but not a real practical one. You have to be very careful removing and putting the CD's back to avoid scratching them(like the Armstrong Hot Fives & Sevens box), which for me is my only beef with this box set. Lining the pockets with felt or some other soft material could have avoided this and it's a move I hope Legacy considers in the future. Sonically this is by far the best I've ever heard this material sound. The Quintessential Billie Holiday CD's suffered from heavy handed use of noise reduction, sounding muffled and dull. The songs on the box have much more presence and dynamic range. Like the Louis Armstrong box issued last year, this release has Grammy winner written all over it. For those who want, need, and must have every note Lady Day recorded during this eleven year period this box is a must have and comes highly recommended. The 2 CD set culled from this box is fine for more casual fans. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nFirst rate, but some questions linger . . ., December 22, 2001\nReviewer: Nicolas S. Martin (Indianapolis, IN United States) \nThis is a magnificent collection to be sure, but I am left bewildered. Why, if this is the "complete" collection, does it omit some tracks that are on the 8 disc Japanese set, "The Lady: Billie Holiday Complete Collection"? And why, if the Japanese set is "complete," does this American box contain many additional tracks? Billie was a wonder of nature, but the people at Sony are a little slippery.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nIn a word...WOW, October 4, 2001\nReviewer: BRIAN J WEAVER (SCOTTSVILLE, NY USA) \nI have never been able to appreciate Lady Day's Columbia years because of the bad quality and age of the existing sources...UNTIL NOW. Recordings that used to be a challenge to this listener are now remastered to a quality that surpasses what would be typically expected from recordings of this vintage. You can now fully appreciate Holiday's delicacy in her phrasing, the arrangements, all brought back to life. This may be considered a pricey set for some, and one may decide on the highlight disc instead. But to have this whole set and have the songs all in their recorded order is Holiday heaven. You really won't know what you're been missing, some real gems, until you own this set. One track flows so nicely into the next. Repeated takes are all saved for the last discs so there is no disruption in the flow. And the packaging and book are lush and handsomely packaged, most aesthetically pleasing. A most prized and eagerly awaited complete addition to the Holiday catalogue. A treasure.\n\nHalf.com Album Credits\nArtie Shaw, Contributing Artist\nBen Webster, Contributing Artist\nBenny Goodman, Contributing Artist\nCount Basie & His Orchestra, Contributing Artist\nDuke Ellington/Ray Brown, Contributing Artist\nGene Krupa, Contributing Artist\nLester Young, Contributing Artist\nMilt Hinton, Contributing Artist\n\nAlbum Notes\nIncludes a 116-page booklet containing essays by Gary Giddins, Farah Jasmine Griffin and song-by-song commentary by Michael Brooks.\n\nPersonnel includes: Billie Holiday, Johnny Mercer (vocals); Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter, Tab Smith (alto saxophone); Lester Young, Ben Webster, Chu Berry (tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (baritone saxophone); Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Harry James, Charlie Shavers, Red Allen, Cootie Williams, Bunny Berigan, Hot Lips Page (trumpet); Dicky Wells, Jack Teagarden, Benny Morton (trombone); Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Edmond Hall, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, Claude Thornhill, Billy Kyle (piano); Freddie Green, Lawrence Lucie, Carmen Mastren (Guitar); Walter Page, Milt Hinton, John Kirby (bass); Jo Jones, Gene Krupa, Sid Catlett, Cozy Cole, Kenny Clarke (drums); Duke Ellington & His Orchestra.\n\nProducers include: John Hammond, Bernie Hanighen.\n\nCompilation producers: Michael Brooks, Michael Cuscana.\n\nDigitally remastered by Mark Wilder & Seth Foster (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York).\n\nLADY DAY won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Historical Album.
This jazz cd contains 21 tracks and runs 61min 31sec.
Freedb: 210e6915

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