Billie Holiday Discography Lady Day's Complete Studio Sessions

  The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 1

  Benny Goodman (1909-1986)

Session #1 New York 27/November/1933, Benny Goodman & his Orchestra (Columbia)

In April 1933 Billie worked as crooner at the Monette’s Club, when John Hammond, after attending a show, mentioned her in his Melody Maker magazine column, praising her voice and beauty. Not someone who would've needed Medifast coupons,  Medifast diet or any of the popular liquid diets and fasting fads of the 30s.

He also invited his friend Benny Goodman, one of the most famous jazz musicians at the time, to meet Billie at Monette’s.

• (MT 1) Your Mother Son-In-Law Å I conceded one star to commemorate this first recording. The disc was issued with a Goodman’s instrumental track in the other side, Tappin’ the barrel.

Session #2 New York 18/December/1933, Benny Goodman & his Orchestra (Columbia)

• (MT 2) Riffin’ The Scotch – the issued record has Jack Teagarden with Goodman in the other side; he was trombonist in both sessions. Billie did not include any of these two tracks in her nightlife repertoire.

John Hammond (1910-1987)

è John Hammond (1910-1987) was the producer for both recording sessions. Hammond, the son of a rich Manhattan family, showed interest for music at early ages and went to Yale to learn violin. Bohemian habitual of the musical world, he was great supporter of artists’ racial integration, having later helped the foundation of an integrated club, the famous Café Society. In his long career in the record industry he had, later, uncovered many other talented artists like Bob Dylan.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 1 (cont.)

 

Session #3 New York 02/July/1935, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) John Truehart(g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This is an historic session: the first Billie collaboration with Teddy Wilson. They have recorded 94 tracks together!

• (MT 3) I Wished On The Moon - Å  this is a good song from the well-known composers Ralph Rainger & Dorothy Parker. It was not easy in those days for a black singer to get nice songs to record, because of the music publishers’ power. Nevertheless Hammond found this one for Billie, worth a star. Teddy Wilson makes a short introduction and shares the opening with Benny Goodman. In the bridge, Eldridge and Goodman duel with Webster. She would record it two more times (s.MT #256, MT #293).

• (MT 4) What A Little Moonlight Can Do –  I don’t appreciate this song that Billie recorded also in 1954 (s.MT #245) with similar results. (The lyrics? Ooh, ooh, ooh oohhh, what a little moonlight can do... hmmm).

è  maybe because the fast tempo, Billie included this tune frequently in her shows; there are other seven live registers.

• (MT 5) Miss Brown To You Å  nice song by Rainger, Whiting & Leo Robin. Billie along her career has always honor the musicians whom she played with, they always had space for memorable solos. In this case, listen to Wilson at the bridge while Billie gives him incentive: "Yeah, yeah!"; Eldridge shines in the sequence.

No (cl)

• (MT 6) A Sunbonnet Blue – it is said that Goodman didn’t take part in this track because he was "late for a dinner". He didn’t loose anything…

Teddy Wilson (1912-1986)

è Born Theodor Shaw Wilson in Texas. By the time, he had already played with Goodman and also recorded piano solos for Columbia in 1934. The series of recordings for Brunswick/Columbia would only be interrupted in 1942 because of the "recording ban" ordered by the American Federation of Musicians. Teddy Wilson also played with Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and other contemporaneous singers.

Session #4 New York, 31/July/1935, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Cecil Scott (cl) Hinton Jefferson (as) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

No matter how much the band changed, the songs remain second class…

• (MT 7) What A Night, What A Moon, What a Girl
• (MT 8) I’m Painting The Town Red Å Billie manages to turn this mediocre song into something we can hear.
• (MT 9) It’s Too Hot For Words – Listen to the sound Ben Webster gets out of his sax.

è Ben (Benjamin Francis) Webster, 1909-1973 was born in Kansas City and is considered one of the big-three tenor saxophonists, with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, being all three in this discography. He was one of the closest Billie’s friends, having recorded 45 tracks in studio with her during all of her career.

 

Session #5 New York, 25/October/1935, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Benny Morton (tb) Chu Berry (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Dave Barbour (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Wilson assembled an all-stars band. John Kirby will record 41 tracks with Billie from 1935 to 1938.

• (MT 10) Twenty-four Hours A Day
• (MT 11) Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town
• (MT 12) Eeny Meeny Miney Mo
• (MT 13) If You Were Mine ÅÅ the best song in the session, by Johnny Mercer & Matty Malneck. Teddy opens backed by the rhythm session and Chu Berry prepares the Billie introduction. Eldridge closes in great style.

Session #6 New York, 03/December/1935, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Richard ‘Dick’ Clarke (tp) Tom Macey (cl) Johnny Hodges (as) Teddy Wilson (p) Dave Barbour (g) Grachan Moncur (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

• (MT 14) These ‘N’ That ‘N’ Those Å1/2 this is not a famous song, but Billie transforms it in a wonderful performance. This time, Johnny Hodges opens the track, Dick Clarke follows and Macey introduces Billie’s chorus. The swing goes on and Teddy opens the final suite.
• (MT 15) You Let Me Down Å a curiosity: unlike all preceding tracks where the band opens in several bars, sometimes more than a minute long, in this Billie starts singing upon a short Hodges intro. He will come back at the bridge, followed by Wilson that also opens the final chorus.
• (MT 16) Spreadin’ Rhythm Around

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 1 (cont) 

 

Session #7 New York, 30/January/1936, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Gordon ‘Chris’ Griffin (tp) Rudy Powell (cl) Teddy Mc Rae (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) John Truehart (g) Grachan Moncur (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

• (MT 17) Life Begins When You’re In Love  ÅÅ 

Session #8 New York, 30/June/1936, Teddy Wilson & his Orchestra (Brunswick)

Jonah Jones (tp) Johnny Hodges (as) Harry Carney (bs) Teddy Wilson (p) Lawrence Lucie (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

• (MT 18) It’s Like Reaching For The Moon ÅÅ this is an emotional rendering of Billie of a less known song. Wilson opens and Hodges assumes, preparing Billie’s entry. Jonah Jones assumes the melodic line e closes the track.
• (MT 19) These Foolish Things ÅÅÅ song of great success, recently composed by Jack Strachey, lyrics from Holt Marvell. One of my favorites. (A tinkling piano in the next apartment...). Notice the opening Wilson solo, introducing the theme, alternating with Carney.

• (MT 20) I Cried For You Å this record was Billie’s sales champion in Brunswick. That’s the first "standard" she recorded, a song from 1923 by Arthur Freed & Gus Arnheim & Abe Lyman. Beautiful melody. Listen to Hodges’ solo at the opening, introducing the theme. For me, tempo could be slower.

èBillie would record it again in 1954 (s.MT #246), but this is still the best version.

• (MT 21) Guess Who

è We call "standards" the songs the are well known and often played by jazz bands and musicians.

Vocalion label Brunswick label

è With the exception of the two first tracks, edited by Columbia, all the remaining recordings till the session #8 were edited by Brunswick label, in a total of twelve 78rpm discs, five of them with Teddy Wilson tracks in the B sides (e.g. Sweet Lorraine e My Melancholy Baby). The Brunswick label was bought in 1932 by the American Record Company (ARC) with studios located at the famous Broadway 1776, New York.

è Even though the Billie-Wilson records were well sold, ARC decided to use a second label, Vocalion, to address the popular market. These discs will be priced at $35c instead the traditional $75c. Other modification in this new label is the band name, the "Billie Holiday Orchestra" with Bernie Hagen as producer - a composer that worked with Johnny Mercer. He would be later the co-author of Round Midnight together with Thelonious Monk

 

Session #9 New York, 10/July/1936, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Bunny Berigan (tp) Artie Shaw (cl) Joe Bushkin (p) Dick McDonough (g) Arthur ‘Pete’ Peterson (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

First session Billie recorded for Vocalion, with Bernie Hanighen as producer. To point out the presence of Artie Shaw, whom Billie will work with from1938 on. He would say later that Billie’s Blues was one of his preferred recordings.

• (MT 22) Did I Remember?
• (MT 23) No Regrets Å both tracks, with a new band except for Cozy Cole, work very well.
• (MT 24) Summertime – a Gershwin famous song. Nonetheless, I don’t really like the Billie rendering.

• (MT 25) Billie’s Blues Å  one of Billie’s own compositions, one of the most played along her career. In studio, she would only record it one more time, in 1944 (s. MT #177), although this is a better recording. She composed it just before the recording session, as nobody liked the song previously selected. The opening is non usual with the guitar and the rhythm section. Billie assumes with obbligati from Berigan e Shaw.

è This song became one of her favorites in live shows. There are more 18 registers in several presentations, turning it the absolute recording champion. Two of these live tracks are mentioned in this work: the February ‘54 "Jazz Club USA" presentation in Switzerland, an wonderful jam session almost 12 minutes long (her longest known track ever) and the memorable Carnegie Hall show in November ‘56 (see sessions #69A and #78B).

è The term obbligato (pl.: obbligati) derives from the Latin obbligare – to obligate, to serve. It represents the accompaniment an instrument does behind a singer’s voice. Most used in jazz.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 2

Session #10 New York, 29/September/1936, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Bunny Berigan (tp) Irving Fazola (cl) Clyde Hart (p) Dick McDonough (g) Artie Bernstein (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This Vocalion session is to be forgotten.

• (MT 26) A Fine Romance Å I like this Jerome Kern song, lyrics from Dorothy Fields, recently composed for a Fred Astaire film. That’s the best song in this session. However, this recording does not rank among my favorites (and the sound is awful); what worth here are the Berigan and Fazola solos.

èBillie would record it again 20 years later, in 1955 (s.MT #272) in a better arrangement.

• (MT 27) I Can’t Pretend – definitely I don’t appreciate this song, and the cow bells in the rhythm section...

• (MT 28) One, Two, Button You Shoe – very bad, indeed.
• (MT 29) Let’s Call A Heart A Heart

Session #11 New York, 21/October/1936 , Teddy Wilson & Orchestra (Brunswick)

Irving ‘Mouse’ Randolph (tp) Vido Musso (cl) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Allen Reuss (g) Milt Hinton (b) Gene Krupa (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Back to Hammond’s production and Brunswick label, the musical selection and the musicians’ quality turn much better in this session recorded in two subsequent weeks. Gene Krupa substitutes Cozy Cole (who recorded all sessions so far, and would play with Billie almost to the end of her career).

• (MT 30) Easy To Love ÅÅ nothing like Cole Porter to open the session; this is one of my favorite tunes. It was composed in this same year for the film Born to Dance, with James Stewart. Notice as Billie alters the melodic line at the beginning. Billie will record it again in 1952, (s.MT #227) in her first Verve session.
• (MT 31) With Thee I Swing
• (MT 32) The Way You Look Tonight – Nice song from Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields, recently composed for the film Swing Time. However, Billie’s performance does not match the song quality.

 

  Gene Krupa (1909-1973)

Session #12 New York, 28/October/1936 , Teddy Wilson & Orchestra (Brunswick)

Irving ‘Mouse’ Randolph (tp) Vido Musso (cl) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Allen Reuss (g) Milt Hinton (b) Gene Krupa (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This session was recorded a week later, with the same band, to complete the series. To note Milt Hinton, who recorded 32 tracks with Billie till the end of her carrier, albeit a large interval in the forties.

• (MT 33) Who Loves You Å

 

Session #13 New York, 19/November/1936 , Teddy Wilson & Orchestra (Brunswick)

Jonah Jones (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p)Allan Reuss (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

• (MT 34) Pennies From Heaven Å a song by Johnny Burke & Arthur Johnson, very popular by the time. Listen Goodman in the final chorus, followed by Jones.
• (MT 35) That’s Life I Guess Å Jones opens in mute and Goodman follows. Wilson opens the final sequence and the band closes nicely.
• (MT 36) I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Å a pleasant song by Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields. Jones opens and Wilson keeps the swing preparing for Billie. Ben Webster opens the final chorus and the band closes.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 2 (cont)

 

Session #14 New York, 12/January/1937, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Jonah Jones (tp) Edgar Sampson (cl)(as) Ben Webster (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Allan Reuss (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Not a remarkable session, with obscure songs.

• (MT 37) One Never Knows – Does One?
• (MT 38) I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
• (MT 39) If My Heart Could Only Talk – the opening emulates a cowboy song, a style very popular in the 30s.
• (MT 40) Please Keep Me In Your Dreams – a tempo a bit too fast.

Session #15 New York, 25/January/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Buck Clayton (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson(p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

An historic session with one of the best bands in these series, although almost all musicians were inexperienced in studio recordings. Besides Buck e Lester (see below) the session counts again with Benny Goodman. The rhythm section is a show: Jo Jones makes his first presentation with Billie and he would record 37 tracks with her in the Columbia years, Walter Page 45 and Freddie Green 41.

• (MT 41) He Ain’t Got Rhythm – a minor Irving Berlin song that doesn’t fit in the session.
• (MT 42) This Year’s Kisses ÅÅ another Berlin song, this one marvelous. Note the excellent Lester Young solo at the opening. This is his first track with Billie, but he would record other 50 tracks with her till the end of Columbia years. Lester is one of the best sax players in the jazz history. Billie is perfect and Wilson follows her in the beginning of the final chorus when Buck assumes till the end with the band.
• (MT 43) Why Was I Born? ÅÅ here Buck Clayton shines in mute from the opening. He would record more 40 tracks with Billie, the majority in the Columbia years. The song is an excellent composition by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein for the play Sweet Adeline in 1929. Deplorable is the poor sound quality.

• (MT 44) I Must Have That Man ÅÅÅ excellent song by McHugh & Dorothy Fields, completing in high style this memorable session. After a short introduction Billie assumes the theme backed by Wilson and Clayton. Lester Young does one of his masterpiece solos in the final chorus, followed by Goodman and Buck. This remarkable jazz ensemble deserves three stars.

è Billie would record it again in 1956 (s.MT 274), this time with Tony Scott band earning three more stars.

 

Lester Young (1909-1959)

è Lester Young was Born in Mississippi, the son of a musician. When he came to New York he lived some time by Sadie, Billie’s mother. By the time, all the musicians got a nickname, like for instance Duke (Ellington) and Count (Basie). Billie, celebrating their friendship, would soon call him Pres (from president) and he, in turn , would call her Lady Day. They would be great friends for life and he would pass away a couple of weeks before her.

Buck Clayton (1911-1991)

è Buck Clayton (Wilbur Dorsey Clayton) was Born in Kansas and recorded 40 studio tracks with Billie and almost that many also in other live recordings. His first studio recording experience was with Billie and Teddy Wilson, in the above mentioned session. He was older than Lady and would live longer, passing away only in 1991. He would say later that Billie and Lester formed an inseparable couple of friends and that the three of them were known in Harlem as "The Unholy Three".

 

Session #16 New York, 18/February/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Henry ‘Red’ Allen (tp) Cecil Scott (cl)(as)(ts) Prince Robinson (cl)(ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Jimmy Mc Lin (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This session is a low-point in the Brunswick history.

• (MT 45) The Mood That I’m In – too long introduction!
• (MT 46) You Showed Me The Way Å Cecil Scott opens with the clarinet backed by Wilson, who assumes and passes to Red Allen in a long, although perfect, introduction. The song is less known and has the curiosity to have Ella Fitzgerald listed among the composers.
• (MT 47) Sentimental & Melancholy – note Red Allen’s solo in the bridge; this was his sole session with Billie, probably because they didn’t get along very well (actually, I think he is a bit too noisy).
• (MT 48) (This Is) My Last Affair Å I like the way Lady sings "...this is my la-ast affair" in her first chorus.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 3

Session #17 New York, 31/March/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Cootie Williams (tp) Johnny Hodges (as) Harry Carney (cl)(bs) Teddy Wilson (p) Alan Reuss (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

On March 1st Billie got a call communicating his father’s death. Billie was registered as Eleanora Harris and later adopted the artistic name of his father, Clarence Holiday. A WWI veteran, he had his lungs affected with mustard gas, one of the plagues in that conflict. He died age 37. Billie and her mother suffered a lot emotionally. It was then John Hammond made the arrangements for her to join Count Basie Orchestra. In this present session, Count’s horns took part but, among them, only Johnny Hodges would record again with Lady, a total of 17 tracks.

• (MT 49) Carelessly Å Hodges opens, Teddy follows and Billie carries this nice melody. The final Cootie’s solo is exaggerated and unpleasant.
• (MT 50) How Could You? – a childish song in a fast tempo
• (MT 51) Moanin’ Low ÅÅ very nice song by Howard Dietz & Ralph Rainger. Teddy e Hodges alternate in a long introduction and Billie comes in backed by Cootie’s obbligati.

Session #18 New York, 1º/April/1937, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Eddie Tompkins (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Joe Thomas (as) Teddy Wilson (p) Carmen Mastren (g) John Kirby (b) Alphonse Steele (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Some say this is one of the best of Lady’s sessions. I don’t agree. Vocalion sessions were generally inferior to the Brunswick’s, but the best of them in my opinion will be session #29.

• (MT 52) Where Is The Sun? Å notice Bailey’s obbligato in this slow track.
• (MT 53) Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off – a classic standard by George & Ira Gershwin for the film Shall we dance? I personally don’t like, not even with Billie. It’s worth Joe Thomas’ sax solo.
• (MT 54) They Can’t Take Away From Me Å another standard by the Gershwins for the same film, with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Notice the original trumpet intro, repeated again at the bridge by Bailey clarinet, a delight.
• (MT 55) I Don’t Know If I’m Coming Or Going

 

 

 

 

 

     

"Sun Showers" Billie and Teddy Wilson (see below)

Session #19 New York, 11/May/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Buck Clayton (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Johnny Hodges (as) Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Alan Reuss (g) Artie Bernstein (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Very good session, with lots of swing and a respectable brass section makes this one of the best Brunswick sessions.

• (MT 56) Sun Showers ÅÅ Buck opens amazingly, followed by Bailey’s clarinet and obbligati. Wilson and Hodges take over in the long final sequence keeping the swing tempo in this wonderful song.
• (MT 57) Yours And Mine Å Hodges and Wilson obbligati followed by Buck make a wonderful intro. Lots of swing.
• (MT 58) I’ll Get By ÅÅ the band opens and Hodges takes over in an excellent solo. Billie’s marvelous rendition is a classic. Wilson and Buck close with more swing. Billie will record it once more in 1944 (s.MT #163), but this one is superior.
• (MT 59) Mean To Me Å another delightful song, listen to the Lester’s solo, back after some time.

Session #20 New York, 1º./June/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Buck Clayton (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

In contrast with the former session, this one goes straight in a medium tempo. Very pleasant. It is always a pleasure listen to Lester and Buck together.

• (MT 60) Foolin’ Myself Å Lester Young opens in a brilliant way then Wilson and Buck close the long introduction; Billie carries well this marvelous song by Tinturin, lyrics by Jack Lawrence (who also wrote Tenderly, years later)
• (MT 61) Easy Living ÅÅ a delightful rendering.
• (MT 62) I’ll Never Be the Same Å Wilson opens with a long solo and Billie takes over with Lester’s obbligati.

Session #21 New York, 15/June/1937, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Buck Clayton (tp) Edmond Hall (cl) Lester Young (ts) James Sherman (p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A mediocre session that counts, however, with great artists in the cast.

• (MT 63) Me, Myself And I
• (MT 64) A Sailboat In The Moonlight – worth for the Wilson piano solo.
• (MT 65) Born To Love Å a song by unknown composers has a good balance and it’s worth by Buck’s solo in the bridge and Lester’s obbligati.
• (MT 66) Without Your Love ÅÅ the lyrics are funny (... like a plane with no wings...) and worth by the swing in Sherman’s solo and Lester’s obbligati.

Session #22 New York, 13/September/1937, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Buck Clayton (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Lester Young (ts) Claude Thornhill (p)Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

The songs are mediocre and the producer is Bernie Hanighen.

• (MT 67) Getting Some Fun Out Of Life Å Billie opens the track, what is very unusual. The obbligati are conducted alternately by Buck, Bailey and Claude. Notice the solos by Buck, Bailey and Lester in the bridge. One can imagine Billie following the rhythm and having a good time. She comes back for the final chorus.
• (MT 68) Who Wants Love?
• (MT 69) Trav’lin’ All Alone
• (MT 70) He’s Funny That Way Å an standard from Neil Moret, lyrics by Richard Whiting. The best song in the session.

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 4

Session #23 New York, 1º. /November/1937, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Buck Clayton (tp) Prince Robinson (cl), Vido Musso (ts), Teddy Wilson (p) Allan Reuss (g) Walter Page (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A first quality session, with a fine selection of standards and good musicians for the Brunswick label.

• (MT 71) Nice Work If You Can Get It Å a classic Gershwins song to open the session is not a bad idea. Billie will record that again in 1955 (see MT #264) with better results.
• (MT 72) Things Are Looking Up Å double Gershwin dose! Both were edited in the same 78rpm, Brunswick 8015. A collector’s item. Notice Teddy's piano in the bridge and in the end.

• (MT 73) My Man ÅÅÅ my second three-stars is a tribute to this Billie classic. It almost lost half star due to Buck’s ending, though. Originally, this is a French song (Mon homme), where did Lady find it? Maybe Hammond? See also further recordings in 1948 (s.MT #199) e 1952 (s.MT #234), the latter being the best of them all.

è this song turned be a popular success in Billie’s shows. We know 13 tracks of live recordings. Among them, the best is her participation at the Carnegie Hall in November, 1956. Please see ahead my comments in that date.

• (MT 74) Can’t Help Loving Dat Man ÅÅ a standard by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein; a classic from the musical score Show Boat. Notice Prince in the start up solo and his wonderful obbligato in the last Billie’s chorus. It is remarkable the ending with the three horns. The last two tracks were edited together in the 8008 Brunswick 78rpm. A record for collectors!

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 4 (cont)

 

Benny Morton (1907-1985)

Session #24 New York, 6/January/1938, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Buck Clayton (tp) Benny Morton (tb) Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Freddie Green (g)Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

In this session, Benny Morton’s trombone is back; he would record 20 tracks with Lady in the Columbia years.

• (MT 75) My First Impression Of You ÅÅ Morton does a short opening and Billie assumes with Buck’s obbligati. It works pretty well, in spite of the less known composers.
• (MT 76) When You’re Smiling ÅÅ Morton, again, introduces the theme. In a brisk tempo, reminds a jam session. Listen how, after Lady’s chorus, Teddy shines in the solo and Lester follows with lots of swing; they both come together with Buck in a grand finale. Excellent.
• (MT 77) I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me Å after a long intro, Billie carries well this nice song by Jimmy McHugh & Clarence Gaskill.
• (MT 78) If Dreams Come True

 

Session #25 New York, 12/January/1938, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Buck Clayton (tp) Benny Morton (tb) Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Freddie Green (g)Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Same people from previous session.

• (MT 79) Now They Call It Swing – I don’t really appreciate "scat" singing. But fortunately, this is not the case, all the "dru-du-du-da-da" are indeed in the original lyrics...
• (MT 80) On The Sentimental Side Å I mentioned Freddie Green above, now listen his sound in the background. He deserved this star. On the other hand, very poor recording quality.
• (MT 81) Back In Your Own Backyard
• (MT 82) When A Woman Loves A Man Å Lester does a short intro and Billie assumes, backed by Teddy Wilson’s piano. A nice song by Gordon Jenkins & Bernard Hanighen (the latter also the producer of the session).

Session #26 New York, 11/May/1938, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Bernard Anderson (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Babe Russin (ts) Claude Thornhill (p) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Great number of new faces with Billie in this session. Anderson recorded eight tracks with Billie, (some say that’s actually Charlie Shavers on the trumpet) and Thornhill twelve, all in 1938. There’s also no consensus on Babe Russin, some mention Ben Webster.

• (MT 83) You Go To My Head Å a classic by J. Fred Coots. I like Billie spelling: "...to my heeaaaad". A second version of this song, even better, was recorded in 1952 (s.MT #221).
• (MT 84) The Moon Looks Down And Laughs Å
• (MT 85) If I Were You Å
• (MT 86) Forget If You Can Å these three latter songs are unknown, though pleasant.

Session #27 New York, 23/June/1938, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Bernard Anderson (tp) Buster Bailey (cl) Babe Russin (ts) Claude Thornhill (p) Allan Reuss (g) John Kirby (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

See above the comments on the band.

• (MT 87) Having Myself A Time Å
• (MT 88) Says My Heart Å a pleasant song by Frank Loesser & Burton Lane. In the bridge there’s a solo by Anderson also attributed to Charlie Shavers (maybe the mute playing turns it more difficult to decide – I can’t).
• (MT 89) I Wish I Had You Å this song is composed by the band’s pianist, Thornhill; listen in the bridge Cozy Cole beat behind Thornhill and Anderson.
• (MT 90) I’m Gonna Lock My Heart Å

 

  Artie Shaw (1910-2004)

Session #28 New York 24/July/1938, Artie Shaw and his Orchestra (Bluebird)

Chuck Peterson, John Best-Claude Bowen(tp) George Arus, Ted Vesely, Harry Rogers(tb) Artie Shaw(cl) Les Robinson, Hank Freeman(as)Tony Pastor, Ron Perry(ts) Lester Burness(p) Al Lavola(g) Sid Weiss(b) Cliff Leeman(d) Billie Holiday(v)

Billie joined Artie Shaw band since March 9th, when she left Count Basie. This would be her sole session recorded with Shaw (and with RCA). This recording session had five other tracks, including Shaw’s success Begin The Beguine. There’s a story that, because of racial restrictions, Shaw remade the track with Helen Forrest, but could also be that Brunswick contested the breach of contract. The 78rpm disk has the number B-7759-A.

• (MT 91) Any Old Time Å that’s a pure big-band with Billie as crooner, excellent sound quality. This ended to be her sole recording of this song. The track can be found in the CD Artie Shaw – Greatest Hits. See discography.

Session #29 New York, 15/September/1938, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Buck Clayton (tp) Dickie Wells (tb) Lester Young (cl)(ts) Margaret ‘Queenie’ Johnson (p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A session that counts with Buck and Lester together deserves respect. I consider this to be the best Vocalion session. Billie wouldn’t record afterwards none of these songs in studio.

• (MT 92) The Very Thought Of You Å1/2 a very popular song by the British composer Ray Noble. Listen the wonderful collaboration of Buck and Lester - playing clarinet, a rarity -  in the bridge.
• (MT 93) I Can’t Get Started ÅÅ one of my favorite tunes, composed by Vernon Duke and Ira Gershwin. In the bridge, there’s a wonderful Lester solo.
• (MT 94) I’ve Got A Date With A Dream Å1/2  this track is the only participation of Dickie Wells, famous trombonist, that performs a wonderful solo at the bridge together with Lester.
• (MT 95) You Can’t Be Mine

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 5

Session #30 New York, 31/October/1938, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Harry James (tp) Benny Morton (tb) Edgar Sampson Benny Carter (as) Lester Young Herschel Evans (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Al Casey (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Teddy Wilson is back in charge but, in my opinion, the arrangements are too heavy, with too many horns (six), bringing that big-band climate where Billie looses the intimacy. The musical selection also doesn’t help that much.

• (MT 96) Everybody’s Laughing
• (MT 97) Here It Is Tomorrow Again

Session #31 New York, 09/November/1938, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Same band and same remarks from previous session

• (MT 98) Say It With A Kiss
• (MT 99) April In My Heart
• (MT 100) I’ll Never Fail You
• (MT 101) They Say

Session #32 New York, 28/November/1938, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Bobby Hackett (cornet) Trummy Young (tb) Toots Mondello, Ted Buckner (as) Bud Freeman, Chu Berry (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Al Casey (g) Milt Hinton string (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Unfortunately the arrangements are still as heavy as in the previous sessions, although this is a completely different band The music selection being also disappointing. One of the worst Lady’s sessions for Brunswick.

• (MT 102) You’re So Desirable
• (MT 103) You’re Gonna See A Lot Of Me
• (MT 104) Hello, My Darling
• (MT 105) Let’s Dream In The Moonlight Å

è This session closes 1938, when Billie recorded 30 studio tracks, the second most prolific in her career, after 1937 with 38 tracks. These two years are considered her apogee in the Columbia years, in the plenitude of his voice.

By December this year, the son of a Latvian immigrant, the jazz lover Barney Josephson, decided to open a nightclub where all nationalities and races could come together in peace. So was born the famous Café Society, carrying as motto "the wrong place for the right people". Billie was present at the opening session together with the Frankie Newton Band, whose pianist was Sonny White, then 21, who turned to be her great partner.

From this date on, Lady would more and more record with the Café’s musicians, putting in hold her previous collaboration with Teddy Wilson (see session #34) who, in turn, was considering to form his own band. Probably this is the reason why he was experimenting new arrangements in his last sessions with Billie.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 5 (cont)

 

Charlie Shavers (1920-1971)

Session #33 New York, 20/January/1939, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Tyree Glenn (tb) Chu Berry (ts) Sonny White (p) Al Casey (g) John Williams (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This year opens with two tracks by the Vocalion label. This session is a relief, as we are back to a smaller group better suitable to Billie style. Charlie Shavers joins Lady for the first time; he will record 32 tracks with her, most in the fifties.

• (MT 106) That’s All I Ask Of You ÅÅ Listen to Chu Berry’s solo in the bridge. At the end, Shavers experiments the obbligati that will later make him famous. A pleasant rendering of Billie.
• (MT 107) Dream Of Life Å a song by Carmen McRae, who years later would record a CD - tribute to Lady Day. Notice Sonny White solos in the bridge - by that time, he accompanied Billie in her presentations at the Café Society.

Session #34 New York, 30/January/1939, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (Brunswick)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Ernie Powell (cl) (ts) Benny Carter (as) (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Danny Barker(g) Milt Hinton string (b) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Fortunately Teddy arranged a small band for this session, the last he will conduct under Brunswick label and with John Hammond as producer. The end of a classic era!

(Wilson will be back shortly in the next year for two more sessions, just before the end of Columbia years).

• (MT 108) What Shall I Say? ÅÅ Eldridge is back and it’s his, together with Carter, the wonderful solo in the opening.
• (MT 109) It’s Easy To Blame The Weather
• (MT 110) More Than You Know ÅÅ a standard by Vincent Youmans, lyrics by William Rose. Teddy Wilson masters the solo in the long final sequence, followed by Carter and Eldridge. A beauty. To regret Billie does not come back for a final chorus - wish we had half a minute more...
• (MT 111) Sugar

Session #35 New York, 21/March/1939, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

‘Hot Lips’ Page (tp) Tab Smith (ss, as) Kenneth Hollon, Stanley Payne (ts) Kenny Kersey (p) Jimmy McLin (g) John Williams (b) Eddie Dougherty (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A session with unusual five recorded tracks. Several musicians came from Café Society band. Vocalion’s producer is still Bernie Hanighen from ARC. The musical selection does not help and the band has grown to four horns.

• (MT 112) You’re Too Lovely To Last
• (MT 113) Under A Blue Jungle Moon Å
• (MT 114) Everything Happens For The Best – the first solo in the bridge is by Tab Smith in the soprano sax, an unusual instrument. He is also the composer, with Billie.
• (MT 115) Why Did I Always Depend On You? ÅÅ notice the solo in the bridge by Hot Lips, who played only few tracks with Billie.

• (MT 116) Long Gone Blues ÅÅ possibly, the group took the time to record an extra track, edited by Columbia years later. The blues style is quite different from the rest of the session, a strong lament. Maybe this is part of Café Society repertoire. After a brief intro, Billie opens the chorus in a glorious way (Talk to me babe, tell me what's the matter now...) At the bridge, Tab Smith solos with the soprano and Hot Lips closes with an incredible sound of his instrument.

èThis  fifth track was edited years after by Columbia.

è In December 1938 Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) buys ARC and the Columbia label will progressively replace Brunswick, definitely discontinued in April, 1940. The last Billie session for this label took place in January, 1939 (see session #34). On the other hand, Vocalion label will survive till 1940, when it will be replaced by OKeh, dedicated to Rhythm & Blues .

In the meantime, Billie’s success at Café Society motivated the poet Lewis Allen to look for Billie and offer her an unpublished song, Strange Fruit, that would turn into a great success. However, Columbia had no intention to record it due to the peculiar racial theme. Billie then presented the song to her friend Milt Gabler, owner of a record store in the 42nd Street, who had recently founded his own label, the Commodore Records. They both asked Columbia permission for an independent recording and CBS, surprisingly, agreed in what resulted to be the next session.

 

The Complete Commodore Recordings, vol.1

  Session #36: Billie and Frank Newton

Session #36 New York, 20/April/1939, Frank Newton & Café Society Band (Commodore)

Frank Newton (tp) Tab Smith (as) Kenneth Hollon e Stanley Payne (ts) Sonny White (p) Jimmy McLin (g) John Williams (b) Eddie Dougherty (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie recorded this session for Commodore but, just after, signed a new contract with CBS. She will be back to that label years later, in 1944 (see session #48). This session counts with several new faces with the exception of Sonny White, her beloved pianist. The musical selection is first quality but unfortunately the sound quality – specially the microphones - and the overall results are below average. Maybe Commodore, in its beginning, couldn’t afford the same equipment as CBS or RCA nor attain an equipment lease. This session can be found in the Commodore Box.

• (MT 117) Strange Fruit - this song was a success in Billie’s presentations at the Café Society, with its strong message against lynching. It is not, however, in my favorites list.

No (tp), (as) and  Stanley Payne (ts)

• (MT 118) Yesterdays – a wonderful standard by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Otto Harbach, for the musical Roberta. However, here the sound is awful, with lots of noise in the background and a poor equalization that makes Billie’s voice sound over the band. The alternate take is better preserved, but unfortunately is half a minute shorter. In a later interview, Billie mentioned this song as one of her favorites, but, as in the case of Fine and Mellow, she never made a good recording of it.

è There’s a second studio register in 1952 (s.MT #237) and a live session in November, 1956 at the Carnegie Hall (see below). But no one of them deserved a star.

Full Band

• (MT 119) Fine And Mellow – this song, a Billie Holiday composition, was edited as Strange Fruit’s B side. It was written in the night before the recording session, and it ended to be one of her most characteristics tunes. In this session, however, the funereal tempo and the sound quality did not render a good result. It is a pity that Lady never made a decent studio recording of this song, so representative of her live presentations.

è We know 11 live registers, among them her appearance at the Carnegie Hall in November 10, 1956 (live recordings #173) and, in one of her best live records ever, the wonderful presence in the live telecast of The Sound Of Jazz, a CBS TV Program in December 8, 1957 (live recordings, session #193)

• (MT 120) I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues Å a fine standard by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Ted Koehler, the best track out of these four. Listen to the piano and sax solos in the bridge.

Note: see other Commodore sessions in 1944 (161)

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 6

Session #37 New York, 05/July/1939, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Tab Smith (ss) (as) Kenneth Hollon, Stanley Payne (ts) Sonny White (p) Bernard Addison (g) John Williams (b) Eddie Dougherty (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie is back to Columbia, under a new contract. The people and the style with plenty of horns are maintained in this session, very similar to the previous session in March.

• (MT 121) Some Other Spring Å a song by Arthur Herzog, lyrics by Irene Kitchings. She is a close friend of Billie and Teddy Wilson’s ex-wife. Billie has always referred to this song as one of her favorites. She would record it again in 1956 (s.MT #275) with better results.
• (MT 122) Our Love Is Different
• (MT 123) Them There Eyes – an standard by Maceo Pinkard & William Tracy ruined in this track with a too brisk tempo. A second recording in 1949 (s.MT #207) would render no better results. In live presentations from 1949 on, it will be one of the most frequent; other 11 live registers are known.
• (MT 124) Swing, Brother, Swing – only to mention the solo by Charlie Shavers in the bridge, well, Hollon is also there. You may notice among my comments that I really do not enjoy those brisk tempos, Dixieland style.

 

Jo Jones (1911-1985)

Session #38 New York, 13/December/1939, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Buck Clayton, Harry `Sweet` Edison (tp) Earle Warren (as) Lester Young (ts) Jack Washington (as)(bs) Joe Sullivan (p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) Jo Jones (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Two standards and two unknown songs balance this session with many horns (two trumpets and three saxes) However, Buck and Lester are back together!

• (MT 125) Night And Day – one of Cole Porter’s jewels, written in 1932 for the play Gay Divorce. Billie, however, doesn’t match the exceptional Fred Astaire’s recording for the play and, also, that of Frank Sinatra who took possession of it. I don’t like either the variations Billie brings to the music maybe because, as she declared in her book, "she had never listened the song before".
• (MT 126) The Man I Love Å this rendering of Billie is not among his best recordings and the excess of brass in big band style doesn’t help. It is a waste of excellent material and Billie unfortunately would never record it again in studio. Lester’s solo in the bridge worth the track. This is one of my favorite songs and such a classic by George & Ira Gershwin deserves a star.
• (MT 127) You’re Just A No Account Å it is worth to hear Buck and Lester solos
• (MT 128) You’re A Lucky Guy

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 6 (cont)

 

   

Session #39: White, Eldridge,Williams, Billie, West, Frye, Powell, Lucie and Scott

Session #39 New York, 29/February/1940, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Vocalion)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Jimmy Powell, Carl Frye (as) Kermit Scott (ts) Sonny White (p) Lawrence Lucie(g) John Williams (b) Harold ‘Doc’ West (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Three outstanding songs make this session one of the best in this volume, recorded February 29th, a singular day. That would be her last recording for Vocalion label.

• (MT 129) Ghost Of Yesterday ÅÅ one more song by Arthur Herzog & Irene Kitchings, a pure gem. Eldridge shines in his short muted intro and he is briefly back in the end. The heavy arrangement, though, outshines partly this beauty.
• (MT 130) Body And Soul ÅÅ a masterpiece by John Green (My days have grown so lonely...), one of the most beautiful in jazz. Billie is excellent, like Eldridge in his brief intro with the open instrument; he will come back in the bridge.
• (MT 131) What Is This Going To Get Us? ÅÅ another nice composition by Herzog & Kitchings. Sonny White, his companion ever, shines in the bridge.
• (MT 132) Falling In Love Again Å I don’t have any other recording of this song, but it has a nice swing and Eldridge in the bridge. I learned it was sung by Marlene Dietrich in the film The Blue Angel.

Session #40 New York, 07/June/1940, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (OKeh)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Bill Bowen, Joe Eldridge (as) Kermit Scott, Lester Young (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Freddie Green (g) Walter Page (b) J.C. Heard (d) Billie Holiday (v)

In this first session with the new OKeh label, the arrangements turn lighter and more intimate, specially in the last track.

• (MT 133) I’m Pulling Through ÅÅ this wonderful song by Herzog & Kitchings opens the session. I appreciate this song and Billie is doing very well, like Lester in the bridge. (I'm pulling through and it's because of you/ You made me see how lovely life could be...)
• (MT 134) Tell Me More Å another Billie composition, here in a funereal tempo but with some enchantment. Teddy Wilson is also back, filling the bridge.
• (MT 135) Laughing At Life Å
• (MT 136) Time On My Hands ÅÅ a nice standard by Vincent Youmans closes the session. Notice the obbligati by Eldridge in mute and Lester & Wilson in the bridge. Eldridge ends with a golden key. Beautiful.

Session #41 New York, 12/September/1940, Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (OKeh)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Don Redman, Georgie Auld (as) Don Byas, Jimmy Hamilton (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) John Collins (g) Al Hall (b) Kenny Clarke (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A minor musical selection combined with a somewhat heavy arrangement closes volume 8.

• (MT 137) I’m All For You Å a note about Eldridge, that plays the bridge: he would record 31 tracks with Billie along Columbia years. He is one of the greatest trumpet players in jazz history. Only Buck Clayton would record more in the same period.
• (MT 138) I Hear Music Å both tracks were edited in a 78rpm, OKeh #5831
• (MT 139) The Same Old Story ÅÅ  notice Teddy Wilson in the bridge!
• (MT 140) Practice Makes Perfect Å

 

Benny Carter (1907-2003)

Session #42 New York, 15/October/1940, Benny Carter and his All Star Orchestra (OKeh)

Bill Coleman (tp) Benny Morton (tb) Benny Carter (cl)(as) Georgie Auld (ts) Sonny White (p) Ulysses Livingstone (g) Wilson Myers (b) Yank Porter (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This session with Benny Carter was part of an album with eight tracks in four 78 discs planned by Hammond and Feather as a tribute to W.C.Handy. This project was never completed.

• (MT 141) St Louis Blues ÅÅÅ a jazz classic. Benny Carter, better known at the sax, performs a wonderful clarinet solo in the bridge.
• (MT 142) Loveless Love ÅÅ in a jazziest tempo, Auld gets his opportunity in the bridge. The arrangement is interesting, quite different from what Billie recorded so far. Both tracks were issued in the 78rpm OKeh#6064, a collector's item.

W.C. Handy (1953-1958)

è W.C. Handy was a minor composer, being St. Louis Blues his greatest hit. In this same session, two more songs were recorded with Joe Turner, but the project was never issued.

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 7

 

Session #43 New York, 21/March/1941, Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra (OKeh)

Shad Collins (tp) Leslie Johnakins, Eddie Barefield (as) Lester Young (ts) Eddie Heywood (p) John Collins (g) Ted Sturgis (b) Kenny Clarke (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Three members of Lester Young band take part in this session, full of wonderful classic songs.

• (MT 143) Let’s Do It Å a Cole Porter classic. I am a Porter’s fan, but this song does nor rank among my favorites. They could let Lester fill the bridge.
• (MT 144) Georgia On My Mind - another classic, this one by Hoagy Carmichael. For those of my generation, the rendering of Ray Charles, in the sixties, is unforgettable.
• (MT 145) Romance In The Dark
• (MT 146) All Of Me ÅÅÅ a song by Seymour Simons & Gerald Marks, one of those unique pearls by a composer. A wonderful song , one of Billie’s greatest recordings. Add the Lester Young’s solo, back in scene, and the three stars are more than deserved. A jazz anthem.

• (MT 147) All Of Me ÅÅÅ in the same session two more takes, generally considered as AT, were made. As a rule, they shouldn’t be included in this discography. However, one of them came out with 3’48", too long for a 78rpm disc at the time. It was edited years later in a Columbia LP, 1940-The Singers. That's why I opened an exception to include it here. In this second MT, Lester plays two solos, alternating with Eddie Heywood. Very nice. (included in The Complete Columbia, volume 10).

è This song became popular in Billie’s live shows; nine other registers of this composition are known.

 

Eddie Heywood (1915-1989)

Session #44 New York, 09/May/1941, Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra (OKeh – Columbia)

Roy Eldridge (tp) Jimmy Powell, Lester Boone (as) Ernie Powell (ts) Eddie Heywood (p) Paul Chapman (g) Grachan Moncur (b) Herbert Cowans (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Four songs were recorded in this session in a very slow tempo.

• (MT 148) I’m In A Low-Down Groove
• (MT 149) God Bless The Child Å this is probably the most famous composition by Billie (music by Arthur Herzog) and one of most recorded by other artists in her honor. There’s a second version recorded in 1950 (s. MT #213) for Decca, but this is a better version.
• (MT 150) Am I Blue? Å nice song by Harry Akst & Grant Clarke; notice the three reeds in the bridge in a nice performance reading the song; this track would be issued later under the Columbia label.
• (MT 151) Solitude – a recording in a funereal tempo. There’s a second recording, with no better results, in 1952 (s. MT #226)

Session #45 New York, 07/August/1941, Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra (OKeh - Columbia)

Emmett Berry (tp) Jimmy Hamilton (cl) (ts) Hymie Schertzer (as) Babe Russin (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Al Casey (g) John Williams (b) JC Heard (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Teddy Wilson is back to the piano in this session.

• (MT 152) Jim
• (MT 153) I Cover The Waterfront Å issued under the Columbia label, this standard by John Green & Edward Heyman is beautiful, in spite of being in a boring slow tempo. There’s also a second recording for Commodore in 1944 (s.MT #164), but inferior to this one.

è From 1944 on, this song would be frequently played in her show scores. Eight live registers are known.

• (MT 154) Love Me Or Leave Me ÅÅ1/2 an standard by Walter Donaldson, lyrics by Gus Kahn in a delicious tempo. Babe Russin shines in the bridge. Billie sings "this suspense is killin’ me...", while the original lyrics says "this affair is killin’ me..." Billie will record it again in 1954 (s.MT #243) and then her voice could be compared to this one.
• (MT 155) Gloomy Sunday - the funereal tempo prevents me to like this song. 

 

The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia Volume 7 (cont)

 

Session #46 New York, 10/February/1942, Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra (Harmony - Columbia)

Emmett Berry (tp) Jimmy Hamilton (cl) Hymie Schertzer (as) Babe Russin (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Gene Fields (g) John Williams (b) JC Heard (d) Billie Holiday (v)

The tracks (156) e (158) were edited by the Harmony label, in the 78rpm #1075 issued in October 2nd, 1942. This was a "second line" label used by Columbia. Mandy is Two was released only on LP in 1951 (see Discography History).

• (MT 156) Wherever You Are
• (MT 157) Mandy Is Two
• (MT 158) It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie ÅÅÅ Notice in the bridge the tenor sax show, followed by Wilson. A nice and swinged song by the less known Billy Mayhew. But you know when a song stays in your mind? Be sure/ it's true/ when you say/ "I love you" / It's a sin to tell a lie... I like it better each time I hear.
• (MT 159) Until The Real Thing Comes Along ÅÅ the stars commemorate the end of the Columbia years. An standard by Alberta Nichols.

è This was the last session Billie recorded for ARC – Columbia, at the end of her contract. In total, 153 tracks in 44 sessions (not counting the four tracks in the Commodore session in 1939, one in the CD The Singers and one for RCA).

 

Billie’s Blues

Paul Whiteman (1890-1967)

Session #47 Los Angeles 12/June/1942 Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra (Capitol)

Monty Kelly, Larry Neill, Don Waddilove (tp), Skip Layton, Murray McEachern, Trummy Young (tb), Alvy West, Dan D’Andrea, Lennie Hartman, Lester Young (Reeds) Buddy Weed (p) Mike Pingitore(g) Artie Shapiro (b) Willie Rodriguez (d), Unknown string section, Billie Holiday (v) Jimmy Mundy (arr) Paul Whiteman (conductor)

An unique session and quite peculiar: the city is Los Angeles; the orchestra, Paul Whiteman’s in his sole recording with Billie; the label is the recently founded Capitol Records. Billie recorded this track under the name of Lady Day, as she was formally under Columbia contract. The track may be found in the CD Billie’s Blues (see discography)

• (MT 160) Trav’lin’ Light ÅÅ a long instrumental intro - this time with a full orchestra - is followed by Billie’s introducing the theme. Not taken in consideration the arrangement and the violins, the track is a gem. The song is by Trummy Young lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Trummy recorded with Billie in 1938 (session #31) being her old friend. They both needed money, so they decided to play this song. Curiously, they ended up spending everything commemorating in the same night. 

è She would record it again in 1956 with Tony Scott band (s.MT #273)

è That session has an important historic aspect: it was the last before the famous "Recording Ban", that would left Billie and other famous jazz musicians out of the studios till 1944. A pianist called James C. Petrillo led the strike as he became president of AFM – American Federation of Musicians in August, 1942.

 

INTERMEDIARY YEARS (1944-1951)

The Complete Commodore Recordings, Volumes 1&2

A particularity in Commodore records is the way the recordings sessions took place, with several AT (alternate takes) for each track. Many of them were licensed later to other labels. Almost all tracks have three or four takes.

Commodore label with Billie and Heywood

Session #48 New York 25/March/1944 Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra (Commodore)

Doc Cheatham (tp) Lem Davis (as) Vic Dickenson (tb) Eddie Heywood (p) Teddy Walters (g) John Simmons (b) ‘Big Sid’ Catlett (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This is the first of a series of three sessions Billie would record to Commodore in 1944. In total, 11 standards and one blues. The tempos are unfortunately too slow. Producer is Milt Gabler.

• (MT 161) How Am I To Know
• (MT 162) My Old Flame Å
• (MT 163) I’ll Get By ÅÅ in this track, as an exception, the rhythm is swung and it is worth the Teddy Walter’s solo.
• (MT 164) I Cover The Waterfront

Session #49 New York 01/April/1944 Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra (Commodore)

Doc Cheatham (tp) Lem Davis (as) Vic Dickenson (tb) Eddie Heywood (p) John Simmons (b) Sid Catlett (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Tempos are very slow, almost a funeral, but compensated by the song selection.

• (MT 165) I’ll Be Seeing You ÅÅ this song by Sammy Fain, lyrics by Irving Kahal is one of my favorites. In spite of the slow tempo it’s a pleasure to listen. See further in this text a mention to a live version recorded live in the Carnegie Hall in November, 1956, her best rendering of this song.
• (MT 166) I’m Yours Å
• (MT 167) Embraceable You Å another favorite of mine, this by George & Ira Gershwin.
• (MT 168) As Time Goes By – who doesn’t remember Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca? The arrangement doesn’t help, though.

Session #50 New York 08/April/1944 Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra (Commodore)

Freddie Webster (t) Lem Davis (as) Vic Dickenson (tb) Eddie Heywood (p) John Simmons (b) Big Sid Catlett (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This is quite a peculiar session, with two versions of the band, with and without the brass section; two songs were recorded both ways and I gave them the status of master takes, considering them as independent recordings.

Part I: a small and jazziest band (piano, bass and drums), known as Eddie Heywood Trio; to regret the poor equalization.

• (MT 169) He’s Funny That Way Å the piano backing and the discreet rhythm session accentuate Billie’s voice. The best track of this session.
• (MT 170) Lover Come Back To Me ÅÅÅ  the tempo evolves to a nice swing, though the equalization leaves Billie’s’ voice too exposed over the band. The song is excellent, by Sigmund Romberg & Oscar Hammerstein II. See a second studio recording in 1952 (v.#235), with a much better sound quality.

è Maybe because of its nice rhythm, this song would turn very popular in Billie’s live shows. We know ten live recordings, among them the famous concert "Jazz Club USA" in February, 54 in Switzerland (++, see comment at the date)

• (MT 171) Billie’s Blues Å
• (MT 172) On The Sunny Side Of The Street Å

Part II: the "full" band, with the brass section, resulting in an heavy arrangement.

• (MT 173) He’s Funny That Way ÅÅ
• (MT 174) Lover Come Back To Me ÅÅÅ – despite the fanfare in the beginning!

 

THE DECCA YEARS

It is difficult to establish a proper personality for the Decca years, from1944 to1950. Altogether, 39 tracks in 15 recording sessions with 14 different bands and 10 bandleaders! Milt Gabler, Commodore’s owner, became also Decca associate and, maybe under his influence, Billie signed with this label. The double album that collects all these tracks and their respective alternate takes is a perfection of history and details, covering all the different takes. In comparison to Commodore, Decca quality is outstanding.

Billie signed in August 7th, 1944.

 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 1

Session #51: Toots Camarata and Billie

Session #51 New York 04/October/1944 Toots Camarata and his Orchestra (Decca)

Russ Case (tp) Hymie Schertzer, Jack Cressey (as) Larry Binyon, Paul Ricci (ts) Dave Bowman (p) Carl Kress (g) Haig Stephens (b) Johnny Blowers (d) Billie Holiday (v) six strings.

Too many horns set the base for Toots Camarata orchestra that recorded two subsequent sessions with very similar bands. Milt Gabler is the producer.

Apparently at the time the use of strings was unusual for a singer and considered a privilege for stars like Crosby and Sinatra. But Billie loved this kind of arrangement and required it for this session.

• (MT 175) Lover Man ÅÅ a classic that Jimmy Davis composed specially for Billie when he was still on the army. She loved strings and begged Gabler to program them in this track because "the song demanded". Decca agreed. I don’t like heavy arrangements, but I have to agree that they worked well in this wonderful track. A nice beginning in the new label, don’t you think?

è although recorded only once in studio, this song became quite popular in Billie’s live shows. We know seven registers, among them the excellent appearance in "The Seven Ages Jazz Festival" in Connecticut, September 1958 (++, see comment in the date ahead)

• (MT 176) No More – Billie’s voice is perfect in this recording, it deserves a careful listening. Unfortunately, this is a minor song, composed by Camarata for Billie. She declared later this be one of her favorite songs.

Session #52 New York 08/November/1944 Toots Camarata and his Orchestra (Decca)

Russ Case (tp) Hymie Schertzer, Jack Cressey (as) Larry Binyon, Dave Harris (ts) Dave Bowman (p) Carl Kress (g) Haig Stephens (b) George Wettling (d) Billie Holiday (v) six strings.

Arrangement also conducted by Camarata, very similar to the previous session. The music score and the band are mediocre.

• (MT 177) That Old Devil Called Love – Å same remarks from (#176)

• (MT 178) Don’t Explain Å (MCA Coral LP6.22125 AK, issued in 1975 - see Discography - vinyl) is one more composition wrote by Billie with Herzog, always based in her favorite subject. I like this song: "Hush now, don’t explain, you are my joy and pain." In spite of the strings, this is very nice recording. It is said Billie wrote this song after her husband, Jimmy Monroe, who came home one night with lipstick’s traces on his collar. This take is generally considered as AT, as Decca selected the 2nd take as the master take (see MT #180). But I would select this one - notice how creative are the sax obbligatos in the second half. (See also the P.S. below).

è There are six registers of live recordings, all without any distinction.

• (MT 179) Big Stuff - this is the first take, out of the four listed in this work, originally considered as an alternate take. Only the 4th take was selected as MT. The other three remained inedit and only issued years later in 1975 by MCA Coral in Germany (LP #6.22125AK) - see Discography - Vinyl  (see also MT#181, MT#186 & MT#187).

è P.S. the idea in this discography is to comment only original tracks that Billie recorded at studio. The so called "alternate takes" are remakes in the same session, with the same musicians and same date. Generally, only one is edited, being the "master take". Sometimes, however, the ATs are also licensed later to foreign Recording Companies and edit under independent labels.

The Decca case is nevertheless unique. Two songs were recorded in several dates, with different bands and arrangements, sometimes with lyrics variations, even thus only one of these takes has been selected as master. I decided then to open an exception, considering most of these versions as independent recordings, or masters. These songs are: Big Stuff (4 complete versions) and Don’t Explain (2 versions); when the case may be, dates and respective edition labels are mentioned after the title.

 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 1 (cont)

Bob Haggart (1914-1998)

Session #53 New York 14/August/1945 Bob Haggart and his Orchestra (Decca)

Joe Guy(tp) Bill Stegmeyer(as) Hank Ross, Armand Camgros (ts) Stanley Webb (bs) Sammy Benskin (p) Tiny Grimes (g) Bob Haggart (b) Specs Powell (d) Billie Holiday (v) plus 6 Strings.

Seven months later, Billie has a new boyfriend, the trumpeter Joe Guy, who would accompany her in the next four sessions. Milt Gabler is still the producer.

• (MT 180) Don’t Explain Å (Decca 23565, 03/06/46) almost a year later, Billie recorded this song for the second time. Even though this is a complete different band, this recording follows Camarata’s arrangements in the preceding session, but in a slower tempo. I like the previous better and, even though Decca did not choose that as master, it won the star (s.MT #178).
• (MT 181) Big Stuff – this is the second take, also considered an AT, being issued in Germany by MCA Coral in the LP #6.22125AK. Being a remake of track (#179) it has similar arrangement, although the recording time is 2’57" compared to previous 2’26". Note the band is also different, now under Bob Haggart.
• (MT 182) You Better Go Now – Ella Fitzgerald once declared being this one her favorite Billie’s recording. I know it’s a temerity, but I disagree.
• (MT 183) What Is This Thing Called Love? ÅÅÅ usually, I am not a fan of big bands arrangements, but this time I have to say that in this case the violins fit as a glove, the more I hear, the more I like. Joe Guy opens and  Billie comes like a velvet. Even a bridge is provided, where Guy's trumpet and Grimes' guitar shine - excellent.

è One hour after this session, the US President announced the unconditional surrender of Japan, ending the WWII.

è In October, Sadie, Billie’s mother, 50, is hospitalized and passed away on the 6^th.

 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 1 (cont)

Good Morning Headache label

Session #54 New York 22/January/1946 Bill Stegmeyer and his Orchestra (Decca)

Gordon ‘Chris’ Griffin, Joe Guy (tp) Bill Stegmeyer (as) Hank Ross, Bernie Kaufman, Armand Camgros (ts) Joe Springer (p) Tiny Grimes (g) John Simmons (b) Sidney Catlett (d) Billie Holiday (v) + 4 strings

The two first tracks were written for Billie by Irene Higginbotham.

• (MT 184) Good Morning Heartache ÅÅ
• (MT 185) No Good Man Å
• (MT 186) Big Stuff Å  this track complete the trio of versions (see MT #179, MT #181) with similar arrangements and different bands. Among the three, I selected the latter to get an star. Billie’s voice is clear and the arrangement lighter. Only the 4th take (#187) was considered to be published. All three "unissued version were published for the first time in 1975 in the MCA Coral LP "Big Stuff" 6.22125AK. (not by chance, huh?). See vinyl discography.

LP MCA Coral "BIG STUFF" (c) discogs.com

Session #55 New York 13/March/1946 Billie Holiday and her Orchestra (Decca)

Joe Guy (tp) Joe Springer (p) Tiny Grimes (g) Billy Taylor (b) Kelly Martin (d) Billie Holiday (v)

• (MT 187) Big Stuff ÅÅ1/2 (Decca 23463, 07/10/46) the fourth rendition of this song is clearly superior and Decca was right to choose it as master take. I don’t know what made Billie abandon the strings, but now we have a more jazzy arrangement. Joe Guy opens and closes the track in a particular way and Grimes does a short bridge. The song is by Leonard Bernstein. The other three versions are #MT 179, 181 & 186.

Session #56 New York 09/April/1946 Billy Kyle and his Trio (Decca)

Joe Guy (tp) Billy Kyle (p) Jimmy Shirley (g) Thomas Barney (b) Kenny Clarke (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Fortunately, in this session the strings are absent.

• (MT 188) Baby, I Don’t Cry Over You ÅÅ what a delight this jazziest band. In a swung tempo the bridges are back with solos by Kyle and Shirley.
• (MT 189) I’ll Look Around ÅÅ a nice ballad with obbligati by Joe Guy and Shirley’s guitar.

 

Session #57 New York 27/December/1946 John Simmons and his Orchestra (Decca)

Rostelle Reese (tp) Lem Davis (as) Bob Dorsey (ts) Bobby Tucker (p) John Simmons (b) Denzil Best (d) Billie Holiday (v)

The arrangement abuses of the brass section, big-band style.

• (MT 190) The Blues Are Brewin’ Å this is an studio version of this song, also included in the New Orleans film soundtrack.
• (MT 191) Guilty ÅÅ 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 1 (cont)

Bob Haggart (1914-1998)

Session #58 New York 13/February/1947 Bob Haggart and his Orchestra (Decca)

Billy Butterfield (tp) Bill Stegmeyer (as) (cl) Toots Mondello, Al Klink (as) Hank Ross, Art Drellinger (ts) Bobby Tucker (p) Bob Haggart (b) Norris ‘Bunny’ Shawker (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This session’s arrangements are by Haggart; the slow tempi in all tracks are generally attributed to Billie problems with drug abuse.

• (MT 192) Deep Song Å in an interview to The Voice of America in 1956 Billie said this was one of her favorite songs that unfortunately made no success at all. This was her sole recording ever.
• (MT 193) There Is No Greater Love Å
• (MT 194) Easy Living ÅÅ Billie’s voice in its best shape. It’s a pleasure to listen. The first recording was in 1937 (s.MT #61).
• (MT 195) Solitude Å the second recording, being first in 1941 (s. MT #151); however, I prefer the instrumental renderings of this song, specially those with the composer, Duke Ellington. There will be a third, and better, recording in 1952 (s. MT#226).

è A few weeks later, Joe Glaser, her manager, arranged for her to enter a clinic in New York for a session of detoxification. She would stay there for three weeks, passing there her 32nd birthday. However, she would resume using drugs in the following weeks.

Under investigation by the narcotics agency, she was charged and sentenced to a year in the Federal Reformatory for Women at Alderson, West Virginia in May 28th, 1947. Billie would stay 22 months out of any studio recordings. She got addicted in the early forties smoking opium and evolved to heroin through her husband Jimmy Monroe and her current boyfriend Joe Guy. For this reason Billie lost forever her cabaret card, without what she could not work in any jazz club in New York. This was a tremendous setback in her career.

 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 2

Milt Gabler, producer (1911-2001)

Session #59 New York 10/December/1948 Bobby Tucker and his trio (Decca)

Bobby Tucker (p) Mundell Lowe (g) John Levy (b) Denzil Best (d) The Stardusters, a vocal group of six voices, including Johnny ‘Eager’ Parker, Billie Holiday (v)

After almost two years, Lady Day is back to a Decca studio. Milt Gabler is still the producer.

• (MT 196) Weep No More – sincerely, the choir arrangement is a disaster!
• (MT 197) Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys – same, one more time!

The Stardusters’ are gone and Billie has now a classic jazz trio, that allows her two nice intimate recordings in the series.

• (MT 198) I Loves You Porgy Å this Gershwin’s song does not rank among my favorites, but Billie does it nicely.
• (MT 199) My Man ÅÅ a second reading of this Lady’s classic, there will be a third later (see MT #234). She is doing fine, in the first chorus only with the piano and then even better with the rhythm section.

 

The Complete Decca Recordings, Volume 2 (cont)

è She was arrested again for narcotics possession and went to trial in San Francisco, June 1st. This time she was acquitted, telling a story that it belonged to her boyfriend, John Levy.

 

Session #60 New York 17/August/1949 Buster Harding and his Orchestra (Decca)

Jimmy Nottingham, Buck Clayton, Emmett Berry (tp) Dickie Wells, George Matthews (tb) Rudy Powell George Dorsey (as) Lester Young, Joe Thomas (ts) Sol Moore (bs) Horace Henderson (p) Mundell Lowe (g) George Duvivier (b) Shadow Wilson (d) Billie Holiday (v)

What a difference form preceding session, that intimate and this with a full orchestra. Billie may here remember her crooner times. However, her old friends Buck Clayton and Lester Young are present. Gabler is the producer.

• (MT 200) Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do – the orchestra arrangement is a bit too noisy.
• (MT 201) Baby Get Lost – besides the noise, the song also doesn’t help. "Down Beat" magazine would criticize: "the song and the band have no finesse".

Session #61 New York 29/August/1949 Sy Oliver and his Orchestra (Decca)

Bernie Privin, Tony Faso, Dick Vance (tp), Henderson Chambers, Morty Bullman (tb), George Dorsey, Johnny Mince (as), Budd Johnson, Fred Williams (ts), Eddy Barefield (cl)(bs), Horace Henderson (p), Everett Barksdale (g), George Duvivier (b), Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

The exaggerated arrangement continues, now under Sy Oliver

• (MT 202) Keeps’ On A Raining
• (MT 203) Them There Eyes – the second recording of this song (s. MT #123); I didn’t like them both.

Session #62 New York 08/September/1949 Sy Oliver and his Orchestra (Decca)

Shad Collins, Buck Clayton, Bob Williams (tp), George Stevenson, Henderson Chambers (tb), George Dorsey, Peter Clark (as), Budd Johnson, Fred Williams (ts), Dave McRea (bs), Horace Henderson (p), Everett Barksdale (g), Joe Benjamin (b), Wallace Bishop (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Same from preceding session, with disposable songs.

• (MT 204) Do Your Duty
• (MT 205) Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer - a curiosity in this song is that Billie seems to scat. Fortunately that’s not true, she’s simply following the lyrics.

è The two previous tracks would be part of a planned album in honor of Bessie Smith, but the project didn’t take off.

 

  Session #63: Billie and Louis Armstrong

Session #63 New York 30/September/1949 Sy Oliver and his Orchestra (Decca)

Bernie Privin (tp), Sid Cooper, Johnny Mince (as), Artie Drellinger, Pat Nizza (ts), Billy Kyle (p), Everett Barksdale(g), Joe Benjamin (b), Jimmy Crawford (d), Sy Oliver (arr, cond), Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong (v)

Third time in a row with Sy Oliver Orchestra. There’s however something peculiar in the session: Louis Armstrong’s duet with Billie. Similar partnership would turn famous in the mid-fifties between Louis and Ella Fitzgerald.

• (MT 206) You Can’t Lose A Broken Heart Å a star to the partnership.

• (MT 207) My Sweet Hunk O’Trash – this session is famous because one can hear in the background Armstrong saying to Billie: "Fuck’em, Baby!"

Without Armstrong:

• (MT 208) Now or Never  nice tempo, with the band rehearsing a jam session. This song was written by Billie with Curtis Lewis.

è Generally Billie’s fans think these two duet songs with Armstrong were recorded in their collaboration at the New Orleans film, what is not the case; in there, only LA band was present.

  Gordon Jenkins (1910-1984)

Session #64 New York 19/October/1949 Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (Decca)

Bobby Hackett (tp) Milt Yaner (cl) (as) John Fulton (fl) (cl) (ts) Bernie Leighton (p) Tony Mottola (g) Jack Lesberg (b) Norris ‘Bunny’ Shawker (d) Billie Holiday (v) + 5 strings

Gordon Jerkins brings the strings back in a pop arrangement. Gabler still the producer.

• (MT 209) You’re My Thrill – Billie, years later, declared to the Voice of America that she had enjoyed this song a lot, but it made no success at all (actually, I didn’t like either)
• (MT 210) Crazy He Calls Me Å nice standard by Carl Sigman, lyrics by Bob Russell. Billie is in very good shape, but the arrangement is heavy.
• (MT 211) Please Tell Me Now Å a nice ballad that Billie would record only once.
• (MT 212) Somebody’s On My Mind Å one more partnership by Billie & Herzog. Reports "Down Beat" magazine, referring to the last two sides, (both issued together in the 78rpm Decca #24857): "Billie does a better singing than the last records, less dragging and less milking".

 

The complete Decca Recordings, Volume 2 (cont)

Session #65 Los Angeles 08/March/1950 Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (Decca)

Dick ‘Dent’ Eckles (fl)(ts) Charles LaVere (p) ‘Bob’ Bain (g) Lou Butterman (b) Nick Fatool (d) Billie Holiday (v) The Gordon Jenkins Singer chorus + 4 Strings

The last recording session for Decca, this turn in their studios in Los Angeles, it was the second time Billie would record in that city. Similarly of what happened with ARC – Columbia, this farewell session has nothing to long for. Gordon Jenkins probably tried to transform "God Bless" into an anthem and programmed a choir to back her, with lousy results, in my opinion. It is a pity, because Billie’s voice is perfect. Gabler was absent and did not produce the session; later he declared he would arrange it diversely. But he hadn’t the opportunity, because he wouldn’t produce for Billie anymore.

• (MT 213) God Bless The Child – this is a Billie composition she would record three times: for Columbia, then for Decca and, later, for Verve. Out of them, this is the only one not to deserve a star. In her book, Billie stated that her inspiration was a quarrel with her mother.
• (MT 214) This Is Heaven To Me – an unknown song and an arrangement even worse.

 

Aladdin Records

In the beginning of 1951, Billie learned that Decca would not renew her contract and therefore she signed with Aladdin a one-year contract. Under this agreement, she would actually record only one session. You can find it in the CD "Billie’s Blues" (see discography).

Eddie & Leo Mesner, Aladdin

è The label Aladdin was founded in 1944 by Eddie and Leo Mesner, originally under the name "Philo" to be changed in 1946. Its catalog ranged from Rhythm & Blues to Gospel and Jazz.

Billie's Blues

Session #66 New York 29/April/1951 Tiny Grimes Sextet (Aladdin)

Tiny Grimes (g) Heywood Henry (ts)(bs) Bobby Tucker (p) Unknown (b) & (d) Billie Holiday (v); (other sources mention Carl Drinkard at he piano).

In this sole session for Aladdin, two tracks were blues, a genre that, despite being know as "The Queen of the Blues" Billie recorded less than ten tracks along her career.

• (MT 215) Blue Turning Grey Over You Å a less known composition by Fats Waller & Andy Razaf. It’s a pleasant song, in spite of the lousy sound quality.
• (MT 216) Be Fair With Me Baby – (blues)
• (MT 217) Rocky Mountain Blues – (blues)
• (MT 218) Detour Ahead

 

THE VERVE YEARS (1952-1959)

The studio sessions with Norman Granz revive the jazz-combos similar to those she recorded in the good old times with Teddy Wilson. That means the end of those sticky string arrangements, brass excesses, extravagant choirs and similar mistakes frequent during the intermediary years. Lady Day would again shine in classic jazz standards, her vocal quality loss being more than compensated by the advances of recording technologies and the selection of bands formed by some of the best jazzmen of the American jazz scene.

The Verve years collection was issued by Polygram in 1992 in a Box with 10 CDs and an amazingly edited booklet with a detailed recording historiography and track comments (see discography). Although the material covers alternate takes, rehearsals, live recordings, etc, I will comment, according to the scope of this work, only the original studio tracks (the MT – master takes).

Norman Granz (1918-2001)

è Norman Granz was born in Los Angeles, from a jewish-ucranian family. Since his youth an enthusiastic jazz fan, he produced the famous JATP – Jazz at the Philharmonic, the first of them in July, 1944 in LA. He produced those festival till the rock’n’roll era in 1957. He would also manager famous artists like Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald (with her, he produced the fantastic series of albums known as Songbooks). In 1946 he founded Clef - his first record company, and in 1953 a second one, Norgram; both combined formed Verve in 1956. He sold it to MGM in the late 50s and moved to Switzerland.

The Complete BH on Verve, Volume 1

Session #67 Los Angeles, after 21/April/1952 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Clef)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Flip Phillips (ts) Oscar Peterson (p) Barney Kessel(g) Ray Brown (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

We don’t know the exact date of this session. However, we know Norman Granz signed with Billie after his return from Europe in April 21st, 1952.

A collection of jazz standards and stars in the band makes this session unforgettable. Is to regret that Charlie Shavers shows off too much.

• (MT 219) East Of The Sun ÅÅ1/2 the open Shavers trumpet introduces the song and Billie undertakes, with obbligati by Philips, the classic 1934 composition by Brooks Bowman for the play Stags of Bay. Shavers returns for a solo in the bridge like a sunbeam (too shiny?). Billie resumes and keeps the swung tempo till Peterson follows her in the slow final cadence. A gem. (Did you notice the obbligati are back?)

• (MT 220) Blue Moon Å what to comment in this classic Rodgers & Hart? Maybe the bridge, with solos from Phillips and Shavers (who shows off as always...).

No (tp) & (ts)

• (MT 221) You Go To My Head ÅÅÅ a classic from J. Fred Coots in slow tempo, giving Billie the opportunity to recite the lyrics: "You go to my head with a smile/ that makes my temperature rise". A beauty. Notice that Billie started to bite the syllables, the trademark of her renderings from now on (like in ri-ise, in the selected verse). Compare it with the 1938 version (s.MT #83).

No (tp)

• (MT 222) You Turned The Tables On Me ÅÅÅ1/2 another standard, this by Louis Alter. Billie opens with obbligati by Phillips, Master Peterson solos in the bridge and Billie comes back to close this marvel.

No (ts)

• (MT 223) Easy To Love ÅÅÅ an eternal standard by Cole Porter in swung tempo. Shavers does the obbligati and also solos in the bridge, this time with muted instrument, what harmonizes better with the band; Barney Kessel closes the bridge and Billie returns for the coda in a fadeout final with Peterson. Bravo!

No (tp) & (ts)

• (MT 224) These Foolish Things ÅÅÅ1/2 one more classic, this by Jack Strachey, one of my favorites (A cigarette/ that bears a lipstick's traces...). The arrangement with no horns lets Billie recite the wonderful lyrics. Peterson follows in obbligati. Another gem.

Full band

• (MT 225) I Only Have Eyes For You Å an standard by Harry Warren, in well swung tempo. The Philips solo is outshined by Shaver’s overstatement in the sequence. It is known that Billie loved this song.

No (ts)

• (MT 226) Solitude ÅÅ Billie performs her best recording of this song by Ellington. Fortunately, Shavers keep it mute and his obbligati do not break the mood.

 

The Complete BH on Verve, Volume 2

Oscar Peterson (1925- )

Session #68 Los Angeles, after 21/April/1952 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Clef)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Flip Phillips (ts) Oscar Peterson (p) Barney Kessel (g) Ray Brown (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Same band and musicians from the preceding session, a couple of days later. One more sequence of classics and standards.

No (tp)

• (MT 227) Everything I Have Is Yours ÅÅÅ a beautiful melody by Burton Lane. The obbligato and solo by Flip Phillips accompany Billie with perfection and Peterson finalizes with class. It is a bless we have 3m45s recording time.

Only Oscar Peterson (p)

• (MT 228) Love For Sale ÅÅ more than the preceding track, Peterson reigns absolute, in a solo accompaniment. Billie recites the lyrics with perfection. This song is a classic Cole Porter and this is the only time Billie recorded it.

• (MT 229) Moonglow ÅÅ the classic ballad by W. Hudson & E. De Lange & Irving Mills is taken in a pleasant medium tempo. Shavers does well the obbligati, but exaggerates in the bridge solo, not matching Billie’s introspective rendering.

Full band

• (MT 230) Tenderly ÅÅÅ a pop classic and a jazz standard could describe this nice song by Walter Gross. It is curious that Phillips starts and ends with the same sequence! Billie, in a continuous take, is backed by the excellent obbligati by Shavers and Phillips, and has some difficulties with the low tones (...breathlessly...).

No (ts)

• (MT 231) If The Moon Turns Green ÅÅ this minor song flows well, with Shavers in a contained obbligato.

Full band

• (MT 232) Remember Å1/2 a minor Berlin song, in fast tempo, with Shaver’s discreet obbligati. In the bridge, Barney Kessel assumes and Peterson is excellent; in the second chorus, Billie exercises her "small pauses".

No (tp) e (ts)

• (MT 233) Autumn In New York ÅÅÅ in a band with no brass, Oscar Peterson assumes the accompaniment in an harmonious ensemble. The song is a classic by Vernon Duke. Down Beat magazine conceded five stars in its critic to this record – that had Remember in the other side – both in the 78rpm Clef 89108. (see vinyl discography). A collector’s item (wish I had it!).

  Note: (MT 233a) there's an alternate take of this song, recorded in the same date and released in the 10" LP Clef MGC 161 (see LP discography). As both records have been issued in the same year, both tracks actually could be considered as MT - master takes.

Session #69 New York 27/July/1952 Billie Holiday & Her Lads of Joy (Clef)

Joe Newman (tp) Paul Quinichette (ts) Oscar Peterson (p) Freddie Green (g) Ray Brown (b) Gus Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v)

With the exception of the classics I can’t face the music and Stormy weather, all the tracks are remakes. Newman’s accompaniment is more discreet then Shaver’s. Actually, in the whole session there are no trumpet solos.

• (MT 234) My Man ÅÅÅ this is the third recording of the song; the obbligati are by Quinichette and Newman (note the verse "...he beats me too...")

• (MT 235) Lover, Come Back To Me ÅÅ the song by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II is delicious, although the tempo here is a bit too fast. Listen the fabulous solo by Quinichette in the bridge. In the final chorus, the tempo is changed and Billie ends almost with no accompaniment.

             No (ts)

• (MT 236) Stormy Weather ÅÅÅ an standard by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Ted Koehler, one of my favorites. Notice the discreet Newman’s obbligati!

             No (tp), Oscar Peterson (organ)

• (MT 237) Yesterdays – frankly speaking, I would rather hear Peterson at the piano.

Full band

• (MT 238) He’s Funny That Way ÅÅÅ this is also the third recording; that aren’t many songs that deserved this Billie honor. She begins with the solo accompaniment by Peterson, then Newman’s obbligati come in. There’s no bridge.
• (MT 239) I Can’t Face The Music ÅÅ in an unusual way, Quinichette opens with a brief solo. This is a minor song by Rube Bloom & Ted Koehler.

 

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 3

Billie Holiday & Oscar Peterson

Session #70 New York 14/April/1954 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Oscar Peterson (p) Herb Ellis (g) Ray Brown (b) Ed Shaughnessy (d) Billie Holiday (v)

We notice immediately in the first solo from the first track that Shavers is back... Oscar Peterson would later comment that Billie should be drinking too much, because she was not in good shape in this session. Maybe, because of that, Norman Granz recorded only three tracks.

• (MT 240) How Deep Is The Ocean? ÅÅ Billie opens this Irving Berlin’s standard backed by Shaver’s obbligati.
• (MT 241) What A Little Moonlight Can Do – remake of one of the first Billie recordings from 1935 (see MT #4). Both tempi and lyrics don’t help.
• (MT 242) I Cried For You – another remake that I don’t appreciate. Shavers exaggerates.

Session #71 Los Angeles 03/September/1954 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Willie Smith (as) Bobby Tucker (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Callender (b) Chico Hamilton (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie is back to Los Angeles, this time recording at the Capitol West Coast Studio. Contrary to the usual, there are no bridges and Billie sounds hoarse. In general, the funereal tempi don’t help and the songs are not from the best harvest in this long session.

• (MT 243) Love Me Or Leave Me ÅÅÅ an exception in the session, this is a pleasant standard by Walter Donaldson, lyrics by Gus Kahn, that she had already recorded in 1941 (see MT #154). The obbligati by Edison and Smith are excellent. The track saves the session.
• (MT 244) P.S. I Love You Å an standard by Gordon Jenkins, is rendered in a somewhat dragged tempo.
• (MT 245) Too Marvelous For Words Å nice song by Richard Whiting in a swung tempo.

• (MT 246) Softly – Billie "chews" exaggeratedly the words (so-oftly...)

Only Bobby Tucker’s piano

• (MT 247) I Thought About You – this nice song by Van Heusen & Mercer could be done in a faster tempo, instead of almost a cappella.

Full band

• (MT 248) Willow Weep For Me – a slow tempo song that do not rank among my favorites. However, Billie would include it frequently in her live presentations . Eight live recordings are known, although no one deserves special attention.
• (MT 249) Stormy Blues Å in my opinion, blues isn’t positively the best gender for Billie, even this being her composition. Edison’s obbligati worth the track.

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 3 (cont)

Tony Scott (1921- )

Session #72 New York 14/February/1955 Billie Holiday with Tony Scott & his Orchestra (Verve)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Tony Scott (cl) Budd Johnson (ts) Billy Taylor (p) Leonard Gaskin (b) Billy Bauer (g) Cozy Cole (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Three standards by Berlin and the resume of the bridges are the highlights of this session. Billie’s voice improved from the last LA session and Shavers is back, as one can notice in the solo at the second track. The clarinet solos are everywhere and Tony Scott is perfect. The production is by Leroy Lovett. Carl Drinkard, before discussing with Billie, plays in some of the tracks.

• (MT 250) Say It Isn’t So ÅÅ a beautiful song by Irving Berlin. The track has two different tempi, beginning slow and then, commanded by Cozy Cole, to a faster tempo, returning to the initial at the coda.
• (MT 251) I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm ÅÅ a second jewel by Berlin. In the first chorus, the obbligati by Shavers, Johnson and Scott roll in sequence. Shavers then solos followed by Scott. All with a lot of jazziest swing.
• (MT 252) I Wished On The Moon ÅÅÅ Billie recorded this beauty 20 years ago (seeMT  #3). She opens backed by the piano and the rhythm section comes in with the lyrics. Shavers takes the bridge with the open instrument and Bauer, then Taylor, complete this long bridge. The second chorus resumes the first. Altogether, 6’48" of pure delight. She would record this song for the third time in 1957, see #285.
• (MT 253) Always ÅÅ Berlin’s third song in the session. After a noisy opening, Billie comes in backed by Shaver’s obbligati. The bridge is shared by Scott and Johnson.
• (MT 254) Everything Happens To Me ÅÅ1/2 a composition by Matt Denis (1941) , lyrics by Tom Adair. Billie opens with Scott’s obbligati in a very slow tempo. In the bridge, the highlights are Taylor and Scott and Shaver does well in mute.
• (MT 255) Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me ÅÅÅ a classic song by Ellington, in a slow tempo, it’s Billie’s first recording. She would remake it the following year, in a still superior performance (see MT #281).
• (MT 256) Ain’t Misbehavin’ – a classic composition from 1929 by Fats Waller & Andy Razaf. The tempo turns to a swung one. The opening and the coda are somewhat over, as well the Shaver’s solo with his open trumpet.

 

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 5

Harry "Sweets" Edison (1919-1999)

Session #73 Los Angeles 23/August/1955 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Benny Carter (as) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) John Simmons (b) Larry Bunker (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie is back to LA and this time Norman Granz puts together a first quality and uniform band. The tempi are, however, a bit too slow in almost all the tracks and Billie sounds sad and tired. The session has also another peculiarity: all songs are new in her repertory and Billie will record them only once. The sole exception is Nice Work, recorded previously in 1937 (see MT #71).

• (MT 257) I Don’t Want To Cry Any More ÅÅ1/2
• (MT 258) Prelude To A Kiss ÅÅ1/2 Ellington’s composition
• (MT 259) Ghost Of A Chance ÅÅ

• (MT 260) When Your Lover Has Gone ÅÅÅ unique jewel by E.A. Swan.

No (t) e (as)

• (MT 261) Gone With The Wind - Allie Rubel composed this nice song that didn’t deserve this funereal tempo.

Full band

• (MT 262) Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone ÅÅ a swung track breaks the slow tempi. Sweets does the obbligati in the initial chorus. Carter opens the bridge, Kessel continues and Sweets masters the sequence. In the rhythm section, Simmons is the highlight.

è there exist another seven live registers of this song from this date on.

• (MT 263) It Had To Be You ÅÅÅ a pleasant melody, a classic by Isham Jones, lyrics by Gus Kahn. Carter shines in the accompaniment.
• (MT 264) Nice Work If You Can Get It ÅÅ the second swung track in this session, with Carter’s obbligati. The solos worth it: Jimmy Rowles opens and Edison completes. In the final chorus, Billie’s voice fails a lot.

 

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 6

Jimmy Rowles (1918-1996)

Session #74 Los Angeles 25/August/1955 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry `Sweets` Edison (tp) Benny Carter (as) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) John Simmons (b) Larry Bunker (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Two days after, Billie is back with the same ensemble for more eight tracks. Billie’s voice is much better in this session.

• (MT 265) Come Rain Or Come Shine ÅÅÅ1/2 a marvelous classic by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, one of my favorites. Carter, Edison and Rowles alternate in the obbligati and there’s no bridge. That’s the only Billie’s recording of this song.

No (as)

• (MT 266) I Got A Right To Sing The Blues ÅÅÅ another Harold Arlen’s jewel, this time with Ted Koehler. Edison uses no mute in the obbligati and the solo is by Barney Kessel. Billie had already recorded this song in 1939 (see MT #120).

No (t)

• (MT 267) What’s New? ÅÅ an standard by Bob Haggart. In spite of the slow tempo, Carter performs a nice solo.

Full band

• (MT 268) A Fine Romance ÅÅ a remake of the1936’s (see MT #26) version of this standard by Jerome Kern. The obbligati are by Kessel and it is worth to hear the Rowles’s solo.

No (t) e (as)

• (MT 269) I Hadn’t Anyone Till You ÅÅ this classic by Ray Noble could have a faster tempo. There’s no bridge. This would be the sole recording by Billie

Full band

• (MT 270) I Get A Kick Out Of You Å the ‘tea-dance’ arrangements for the opening and coda do not add much to this Porter’s classic. However, in the bridge Carter and Rowles shine, changing the tempo.

No (t) e (as)

• (MT 271) Everything I Have Is Yours ÅÅÅ Billie had already recorded this beautiful song by Burton Lane in 52 (see MT #227) with similar good result.

Full band

• (MT 272) Isn’t It A Lovely Day? ÅÅÅ Sweets Edison opens, without mute, this gem by Berlin. Benny Carter assumes the bridge’s solo. Beautiful, although the tempi are excessively slow.

 

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 7

Kenny Burrell (1931- )

Session #75 New York 06/June/1956 Billie Holiday with Tony Scott & his Orchestra (Verve)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Tony Scott (cl) Paul Quinichette (ts) Wynton Kelly (p) Kenny Burrell (g)Aaron Bell (b)Lennie Mc Browne (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Once again in New York, Norman Granz gathers an ensemble that was not used to work together. Tony Scott does the arrangements. Billie’s voice is rough and worn out. The tempo is kept slow maybe to preserve Billie but, oddly, there aren’t solos in the session. The three first tracks are remakes from 1930’s classics. However, this session flows very well, or, better yet, it flows wonderfully.

• (MT 273) Trav’lin’ Light ÅÅÅ
• (MT 274) I must Have That Man ÅÅÅ
• (MT 275) Some Other Spring ÅÅÅ one of Billie’s favorites, this is a song by Arthur Herzog, the lyrics by her friend Irene Kitchings, who was married to Teddy Wilson.
• (MT 276) Lady Sings The Blues ÅÅÅ1/2 a composition by Billie Holiday & Herbie Nichols that she recorded many times, but only once in studio. One of my Lady Day’s favorites, although the arranger could have avoided the ‘shaverian’ opening repeated at the coda, both ‘over’ in his style – after all, I resisted to draw the half-star, helped by Burrell’s obbligati (see also the November 10th ‘Extra Session’).

Session #76 New York 07/June/1956 Billie Holiday with Tony Scott & his Orchestra (Verve)

Charlie Shavers (tp) Tony Scott (cl) Paul Quinichette (ts) Wynton Kelly (p) Kennie Burrell (g)Aaron Bell (b)Lennie Mc Browne (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Some say that this session was simply a continuation of the previous. Nevertheless, the nostalgic ambient from preceding session goes on, with four remakes from the 30’s and 40’s previous recordings. All minor compositions, all Billie’s favorites. The tempi are once again slow and there aren’t solos. Both sessions are conducted by Tony Scott, as Granz was traveling.

• (MT 277) Strange Fruit – I have no sympathy by this song and here Billie goes in a funereal tempo, practically a cappella, with the piano backing intercalated from time to time by inappropriate ‘shaverian’ interventions (see also MT #117).
• (MT 278) God Bless The Child ÅÅ see also #149 & #213; this is the best of them all.
• (MT 279) Good Morning Heartache ÅÅ a pleasant opening with Shavers in mute sharing with Quinichette (see also MT #184).
• (MT 280) No Good Man ÅÅÅ the best track in the session, composition by Irene Higginbotham. See also #185 for a previous version.

Barney Kessel (1923-2004)

Session #77 Los Angeles 14/August/1956 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Joe Mondragon (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Once again in Los Angeles, in the same environment she recorded most of her best tracks, Billie now records eight standards, out of them seven are new in her repertory. Granz is the producer.

• (MT 281) Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me ÅÅÅ1/2 a composition by Duke Ellington, lyrics by Bob Russell, it’s a classic she has already recorded the previous year in New York (s.MT #255). Why this remake? The previous was already excellent! Maybe to give us the opportunity to compare Sweets Edison and Charlie Shavers... you tell me. Billie opens a cappella and Sweets Edison is excellent in his obbligati and so is Rowles. Ben Webster masters the bridge’s solo, he is back after 19 years, from 1937. A track that I prized three stars – plus a half as bonus. Memorable. Good that Granz programmed this remake (maybe he did it because he was absent in the previous version?).
• (MT 282) Cheek To Cheek ÅÅÅ  an unforgettable standard by Irving Berlin, extremely jazziest. Edison masters the obbligati and Kessel doesn’t stay behind; Edison comes once more with an open instrument. Excellent. A curiosity is that, only two days later, Ella Fitzgerald would record the same song in a memorable partnership with Louis Armstrong.

• (MT 283) Ill Wind ÅÅÅ1/2 here we have Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler’s lyrics in a song composed for the play Cotton Club in 1934. The tempo is slow and Kessel does the wonderful obbligati. In the bridge, Ben Webster fills the track with honey and Edison comes very close with an open trumpet. A lot of good music in a track 6’14" long.

No (t)

• (MT 284) Speak Low ÅÅ a rare composition by Kurt Weill in this work. The track alternates ‘tea-dance’ and jazziest 4/4 rhythms, in an odd mixture. Kessel backs the first chorus and Webster the second. Jimmy Rowles performs a delicious bridge. A bit weird, but it works.

Ben Webster (1909-1973)

Session #78 Los Angeles 18/August/1956 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Joe Mondragon (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie’s voice is not in its best moments. But, who cares? Listen this beauty and please forgive my excess of stars and adjectives.

• (MT 285) We’ll Be Together Again ÅÅÅ1/2 a jazz classic by Carl Fischer. Edison opens in duet with Kessel and Billie comes in backed by their obbligati. In the bridge, Webster pours his passion by Billie. In the final chorus, Webster resumes his obbligati. The bonus half star goes to Ben.
• (MT 286) All Or Nothing At All ÅÅÅ1/2 nobody sang as Billie this classic by Arthur Altman & Jack Lawrence. A jazziest tempo, involving, with Edison and Webster alternating the obbligati. In the bridge notice the rare guitar solo by Barney Kessel followed by Jimmy Rowles. A total 5’39" of emotion. The half star goes to Kessel.
• (MT 287) Sophisticated Lady ÅÅÅÅ another beautiful composition by Duke Ellington that matched perfectly the lyrics by Mitchell Parish & Irving Mills. The slow tempo begins with obbligati by Kessel and, in the bridge, it’s Ben Webster show. Perfect. One of my favorites, that’s why the fourth star exception. Ella Fitzgerald would record the same song in the next year although with less emotion, just compare both versions.
• (MT 288) April In Paris ÅÅÅ a wonderful classic by Vernon Duke, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg. Billie recorded it better than anyone I know. Webster opens and Billie follows with Kessel’s obbligati.

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 8

Session #79 Los Angeles 03/January/1957 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Mitchell (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

In the beginning of 1957 one more season in Los Angeles, this time with an memorable ensemble. Nineteen tracks were recorded in five subsequent dates. A curiosity is the stereo sound in some of the tracks for the first time in her recording history. All the tracks deserved at least three stars. This is an unforgettable season, maybe the greatest of them all. To regret that would be the last produced by Norman Granz.

• (MT 289) I Wished On The Moon ÅÅÅ this is the third studio recording of this song, the last one being in 1955 (see MT #252), also excellent. Edison does the obbligati and Webster opening in the bridge is thrilling; Edison accompany him in a muted instrument. In the final chorus, the obbligati are by Kessel and Webster. The rhythm is contagious.
• (MT 290) Moonlight In Vermont ÅÅÅ beautiful melody by Karl Suessdorf composed in 1944 that Billie records for the first time. Kessel does a solo opening and the obbligati are by Rowles. The cadence is slow and Webster assumes the bridge backed by Rowles who, in turn, performs the obbligati in the final chorus.
• (MT 291) A Foggy Day ÅÅÅ [stereo] (this is her first stereo recording) a classic by George & Ira Gershwin in her first rendering. Billie opens the introduction backed by Rowles in a slow tempo and then the band follows the rhythm together with the lyrics. The bridge follows the cadence with solos by Rowles, Kessel, Edison and Webster. Wonderful. Billie comes back for the coda, with the full band.

Red Mitchell (1927-1992)

Session #80 Los Angeles 04/January/1957 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry `Sweets` Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Mitchell (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

This session has three marvelous songs that Billie is recording for the first time.

• (MT 292) I Didn’t Know What Time It Was ÅÅÅ1/2 [stereo] Billie does the introduction backed by Rowles and opens the lyrics with a pleasant obbligato by Webster. Edison opens the bridge in a perfect chorus, Kessel doesn’t stay behind and Webster closes. Billie comes for the final chorus with obbligati by Edison. Delicious. Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, stereo sound: what else one could ask? A half star plus.
• (MT 293) Just One Of Those Things ÅÅÅ [stereo] one of my favorite songs, by Cole Porter, first Billie recording. The opening is an artwork, the bridge is memorable with Rowles opening and the others in sequence. Five minutes and 31 seconds of pure delight.
• (MT 294) Comes Love ÅÅÅ1/2 The opening is quite original, with Kessel solos punctuated by Stoller. Billie comes in with Edison’s obbligati. He has an open instrument in this track and opens the bridge in high style matching perfectly the swung spirit of the song. Kessel and Webster close with shine. This song is by the less-known Lew Brown & Sam Stept & Charles Tobias and the initial verses are funny: "Comes a rain storm, put your rubbers on your feet/ Comes a snow storm, you can get a little heat/ Comes love, nothing can be done". Do you agree? Then, half-star as bonus.

The Complete BH on Verve, Volume 9

Session #81 Los Angeles 07/January/1957 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry `Sweets` Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Mitchell (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

After three days interval, by means of a mysterious magic, Billie’s voice improved a lot, adding still more perfection to the next sessions. In this one, three new songs and a second version for Body and Soul (well deserved).

• (MT 295) Day In Day Out ÅÅÅ1/2 [stereo] a classic composition by Rube Bloom, lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Rowles does a brief intro solo and backs Billie in obbligati in the sequence, alternating with Kessel. The cadence is very jazziest and Edison opens the bridge with his muted trumpet, then the others come in sequence while Webster closes. This is a 3’20s bridge, almost a jam session! A deserved half-star for it! We can figure out Billie wiggling her head and giving the opportunity for the band to improvise. This is a characteristic that she, more than any other, cultivated along her carrier. She comes back for the final chorus, backed by Edison and Webster. A total of 6´47" of enjoyment.
• (MT 296) Darn That Dream ÅÅÅ a slow-tempo track bringing us a classic by Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics by Eddie DeLange. Kessel solos in a brief intro and Billie comes in backed by Webster and Kessel oblligati. The long bridge is opened by Edison and the innovation here is Red Mitchell’s guitar solo. Webster closes the bridge and Billie comes for the coda backed by Edison and Kessel. Wow!
• (MT 297) But Not For Me ÅÅÅ a composition by Gershwin for the Girl Crazy musical in 1930. This turn Rowles does the intro backed by Kessel. In the bridge, Rowles keeps the swing followed by Webster and the others. In the final chorus, Edison and Webster alternate their obbligati.
• (MT 298) Body And Soul ÅÅÅ1/2 an excellent remake of this classic by John Green, quite superior from the 1940 version (see MT #130), where Roy Eldridge played: a good opportunity to compare those two geniuses. Kessel does a classic opening and backs Billie in the sequence, in counterpoint with Rowles. This is another of my favorite songs, that’s why the half-star bonus. Webster opens in high style the bridge, in an one-minute solo. Edison does a break and Webster closes the two-minute bridge. A total of 6’22" of pleasure.

Session #82 Los Angeles 08/January/1957 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry `Sweets` Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Mitchell (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Billie Holiday (v)

A session with three new songs, a deserved remake (Say it isn’t so), and an unusual instrumental track.

• Just Friends [instrumental] Billie was delayed for the session and the band decides, under Kessel leadership, playing this song. We can hear Norman Granz at the microphone say: OK, here we go, the All Stars. Billie comes in this precise moment and keeps watching the group. A memorable session. (There exist a short vocal register from this song in a rehearsal session by Art Shapiro’s in 1955; you can find it in the Verve collection).
• (MT 299) Stars Fell On Alabama ÅÅÅÅ [stereo] an standard by Frank Perkins, lyrics by Mitchell Parish, one of my favorites. Edison does the intro with open trumpet and Billie assumes backed by Rowles in obbligato. A swung and contagious cadence. Edison is back in the bridge, this time muted, and Webster follows with perfection. In the final chorus, Billie is backed by Edison and Kessel. As a curiosity, Ella Fitzgerald had recorded the same song a couple of months before, in August 16th, 1956 – but Billie’s version is superior. I wrongly typed four stars, but immediately I decided not to change; maybe it was because of the stereo sound...
• (MT 300) Say It Isn’t So ÅÅÅ much better version than the Shaver’s recording in 1955 (see MT #250). Rowles opens and backs Billie in a long slow solo. The band comes in with an excellent obbligato by Edison. Notice that this is a Berlin’s composition.
• (MT 301) Our Love Is Here To Stay ÅÅÅ another Gershwin’s classic. A long and pleasant Webster’s intro precedes Billie’s first chorus backed by Edison and Kessel. The bridge is unusual, with a duet Rowles & Kessel.

• (MT 302) One For My Baby And One More For The Road ÅÅÅÅ [stereo] A fantastic composition, this classic song by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Also stands in my favorite list. The arrangement is also unusual, because in the 5’39" there’s no bridge. To compensate, the obbligati by Edison and Webster are anthological. I couldn’t resist a fourth star bonus.

è Frank Sinatra will record this song with Nelson Riddle short after, in June 1958. He declared many times being Billie one of his greatest influences; maybe he was inspired by this recording? On the other hand, it is possible that Billie’s preference by string orchestras could also be influenced by Sinatra, among others, who knows? In fact, this would be her choice after leaving Verve. Unfortunately.

 

Session #83 Los Angeles 09/January/1957 Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) Red Mitchell (b) Larry Bunker (d) Billie Holiday (v)

The last of the anthological sessions in 1957, Billie seemed to foresee the end of an era and decided to remake several old tracks from the past. This is the end, unfortunately, of the Granz period, Los Angeles, the Capitol Studio’s Tower and the jazz ensembles. Those were great, unforgettable times.

• (MT 303) They Can’t Take That Away From Me ÅÅÅ1/2 after 20 years Billie remakes this Gershwins classic (see MT #54). At least, a good opportunity to compare both versions and realize that an eternity has gone. Kessel does a short intro and follows in obbligati. The cadence is quite jazziest, notice Mitchell and Bunker in the rhythm section. Edison opens the bridge in mute keeping the balance and Webster complement in the same way. They both back Billie in the final chorus. Once more I point out the work of Mitchell & Bunker; they deserved the half-star.
• (MT 304) Embraceable You ÅÅÅ1/2 another remake, this turn from 1944, Commodore times (see MT #167). Another world, isn’t it? The tempo is slow. Edison and Webster do an excellent job in the obbligati. Rowles opens the bridge with a wonderful solo and Kessel gives a proper sequence. Webster closes the bridge with an anthological solo – more than two minutes – and Edison closes the long bridge. Billie comes back for the final chorus. The song is by the Gershwin brothers and I am excused to say it is an all-time classic. Almost seven-minute long (together with Day In Day Out and I Wished On The Moon, the longest track in studio). The half-star goes to Webster.
• (MT 305) Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off ÅÅÅ this track also resumes the theme from 20 years ago (see MT #53). At that time I commented that this song by the Gershwins was not among my favorites and actually is not. But, how to resist a bridge with Webster and Edison solos? And the rhythm section swing?
• (MT 306) Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You? ÅÅÅ as to break the sequences of ‘oldies’ this minor composition by Don Redman & Andy Razaf is new in Billie’s repertory. The tempo is slow and the bridge is opened by Webster and Edison sequence is a wonderful solo. We could answer the song title with an "Yes Baby, you were good to us..."

è If that was the end of studio sessions with Norman Granz, there will be a last live presentation with him in July, 1957 at the Newport Jazz festival. If this was the last time with Granz, was the first with pianist Mal Waldron, who would accompany her till the end. He recorded 52 tracks with Billie, most of them in live sessions, being only six in studio.

èRepeating what happened when the contract with Columbia ended at the beginning of the 40’s, the lack of a formal compromise – and maybe a strong producer – let Billie reaffirm her passion for pop music and elaborate orchestral arrangements. She might consider it elegant, but in my opinion – that I share with many other fans – it doesn’t bring the best of her. Nevertheless, Billie would record two albums, one for Columbia and a second for MGM, both in New York.

 

LADY IN SATIN (Columbia)

This is her most controversial record. Lady appreciated Ellis’s recordings but he himself got surprised by the Irving Towsend (then Columbia producer) invitation to produce a record with Billie. In that period, Ellis was recording with Johnny Mathis and Sarah Vaughan, among others. The session went over for three days and the Columbia CD has some alternate takes as well (see discography).

    

Session #84 Billie and Ray Ellis

Session #84 New York 18/February/1958 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (Columbia)

Mel Davis Billie Butterfield Bernie Glow (tp) Urbie Green (tb) Gene Quill (as) Hank Jones (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v) + strings and Choir

• (MT 307) You Don’t Know What Love Is
• (MT 308) I’ll Be Around
• (MT 309) For Heaven’s Sake
• (MT 310) But Beautiful

Session #85 New York 19/February/1958 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (Columbia)

Mel Davis Billie Butterfield Bernie Glow (tp) Urbie Green (tb) Gene Quill (as) Hank Jones (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v) + strings and choir

• (MT 311) For All You Know Å a pleasant song by Sam Lewis & J. F. Coots. Billie introduction is very nice, backed by the strings.
• (MT 312) It’s Easy To Remember
• (MT 313) I’m A Fool To Want You Å a song that made its way to become a standard, although with a pop arrangement in this record. To point out the obbligati by Urbie Green in his trombone.

Session #86 New York 20/February/1958 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (Columbia)

Urbie Green, Tom Mitchell & J. J. Johnson (tb) Ed Powell, Tom Pashley, Romeo Penque, Phil Bodner (sax) Mal Waldron (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Milt Hinton (b) Don Lamond (d) Billie Holiday (v) Brad Spinney(xyl) J. Putman (harp) + strings and choir

• (MT 314) The End Of A Love Affair
• (MT 315) Glad To Be Unhappy
• (MT 316) You’ve Changed Å a song by Bill Carey, made popular in the 40’s by Harry James Orchestra. Notice again the obbligati by Urbie Green. It is generally considered the best track in the CD.
• (MT 317) I Get Along Without You Very Well
• (MT 318) Violets For Your Furs

 

è The following three sessions – the last studio works in her career – are a result of her contract with MGM, published in the LP Billie Holiday, issued after her death. Apparently, she enjoyed the results of her previous work with Columbia and repeated the dose of mellifluous orchestral arrangements. It is a three-day section in about a week.

The Complete BH on Verve Volume 10

Session #87: the last studio session

Session #87 New York 03/March/1959 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (MGM)

Jimmy Cleveland (tb) Romeo Penque (as) / (ts) / (cl) Hank Jones (p/cello) Kenny Burrell (g) Joe Benjamin (b) Janet Putnam (harp) Osie Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v) + strings

With the exception of the first track, the rest have an heavy arrangement and funereal cadence.

• (MT 319) All The Way Å [stereo] this was the sole recording by Billie from this composition by Sammy Cahn & Jimmy van Heusen. If not an standard, became unforgettable in the voice of Frank Sinatra in a recording at the Capitol Studios in LA, with Nelson Riddle Orchestra in August, 1957. Romeo Penque opens and does the obbligati and the solo. To tell you the truth, Billie goes well with the orchestra.
• (MT 320) It’s Not For Me To Say [stereo]
• (MT 321) I’ll Never Smile Again [stereo]
• (MT 322) Just One More Chance [stereo]

Session #88 New York 04/March/1959 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (MGM)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Jimmy Cleveland (tb) Gene Quill (as) Hank Jones (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Milt Hinton (b) Unknown harp Osie Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v) + strings

• (MT 323) When It’s Sleepy Time Down South  [stereo] 
• (MT 324) Don’t Worry ‘bout Me [stereo]
• (MT 325) Sometimes I’m Happy [stereo]
• (MT 326) You Took Advantage Of Me[stereo]

Session #89 New York 11/March/1959 Ray Ellis and his Orchestra (MGM)

Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison Joe Wilder (tp) Billy Byers (tb) Al Cohn (ts) Danny Bank(bs) Hank Jones (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d) Billie Holiday (v)

Billie sounds a bit childish in this session - there are rumors that his voice track has been accelerated on purpose to disguise her tired spelling. Fortunately, there are no strings in this session, although they kept the heavy brass arrangement. The musical selection has four classic, although less-known songs that Billie recorded for the firs time.

• (MT 327) There’ll Be Some Changes Made Å [stereo] a song by the unknown W. Benton Overstreet & Billy Higgins. Edison opens with a short intro and, in the bridge, Al Cohn solos and track ends in an unusual way, in fade-out, in a duet between Cohn and Edison.
• (MT 328) ‘Deed I Do Å [stereo] composition by Walter Hirsch & Fred Rose
• (MT 329) All Of You Å [stereo] a recent composition by Cole Porter (1955)
• (MT 330) Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home? ÅÅ [stereo] a song by Charles Warfield & Clarence Williams. Sweets Edison takes over the track: he does the introduction, the solo and the coda. Billie is all right and the nice swing helps to set that last studio track in her life. We could answer the song title: "Baby, we’ll be waiting for you to come home, thanks for all this joy!"

Photo by Milt Hinton, (c) The Milton J. Hinton Photographic Collection. www.MiltHinton.com

EPILOGUE

Altogether, Billie recorded 330 studio tracks in 26 years of her glorious career.

From April 20th to 26th, 1959, Billie was in the Boston Storyville Club, her last presentation, broadcasted live, including When your love has gone:

"What lonely hours, the evening shadows bring

What lonely hours, with memories lingering

Like faded flowers, life can't mean anything

When your lover has gone"

(This track can be found in the CD Lady day Live, see general discography)

Lester Young passed away in March 15th. By the end of May, Billie was taken to the hospital in NYC and died in July 17h, age 44

The Complete Studio Recording Sessions

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© 2010 Billie Holiday Songs

version 16.4 November 2010

 

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