Billie Holiday - Recital (1956) [2015 Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Entitled Recital, this disc compiles numbers from 1952 and 1954 which were recorded with various accompanists.

Almost 45 years have passed since the death of 'Lady Day'. About 50 years ago she could be seen and heard in just a few rare concerts outside the USA. Alcohol, drugs, affairs and racial discrimination in the USA had all left their mark on her and only her voice served as a reminder of her great successes.

It is thanks to Norman Granz that Billie Holiday signed a new, lucrative contract in the early Fifties. He drew the very best musicians into the studio and paid for excellent arrangers so that Billie had an opportunity to sing her old songs once again and record them for posterity in the very best sound quality.

Entitled Recital, this disc compiles numbers from 1952 and 1954 which were recorded with various accompanists. The musicians themselves kept a low profile out of respect for Billie Holiday; even Oscar Peterson shows himself to be a sensitive accompanist, while Paul Quinichette demonstrates that he is a very capable replacement for Lester Young. In this repertoire taken from musical and songbooks from 1921 to 1935, 'Lady Day' manages to convey her personality and life story - even in the softest of songs! Those with quick tempi, too, such as "What A Little Moonlight Can Do" - one of the outstanding numbers here - shine out with a personal touch. It is not only young talented singers who should listen to these masterpieces at least a dozen times per week - these gems will delight the passive music lover too.

This draws tracks from four different albums recorded between 1952 and 1954. The sound samples on this page convey the music and recording quality (the latter of which is surprisingly good), so I will not bore you with a pretentious analysis.

The albums from which this set is drawn are:

Tracks 1 through 6: An Evening with Billie Holiday (Clef MGC 144)that was recorded in NYC on July 27, 1952. The musicians backing Billie are Joe Newman on trumpet and Paul Quinichette on tenor saxophone, with a rhythm section comprised of Oscar Peterson on piano and organ, Freddie Green on guitar, Ray Brown on bass and Gus Johnson on drums.

Tracks 7 through 9: Billie Holiday" (Clef MGC 161)that was recorded in NYC on April 14, 1954. Billie is backed by Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass and Ed Shaughnessy on drums.

Tracks 10 through 16: #11 and #13 are from Billie Holiday - Volume 2 (Verve Japan MV2118) and the rest are from Lady Sings The Blues(Clef MGC 721). All of the tracks were recorded in Los Angeles on September 3, 1954 with Billie backed by Harry 'Sweets' Edison on trumpet, Willie Smith on alto saxophone, Bobby Tucker on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Red Callender on bass and Chico Hamilton on drums.

Not an essential album, but a pleasurable one. If you love Billie during her Clef/Verve years this is worth considering. Reviewed by Mike Tarrani of amazon

Track Listing:

01. If The Moon Turns Green
02. Remember
03. Autumn In New York
04. My Man
05. Love Come Back To Me
06. Stormy Weather
07. Yesterdays
08. He's Funny That Way
09. I Can't Face The Music
10. How Deep Is The Ocean
11. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
12. I Cried For You


Album Released: 1956


Personnel

Billie Holiday – vocals
Charlie Shavers, Joe Newman - trumpets
Flip Philips, Paul Quinichette - tenor sax
Oscar Peterson - piano, organ
Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel - guitar
Ray Brown - bass
Alvin Stoller, Gus Johnson - drums