Though born in Baltimore, Billie Holiday had strong ties to Massachusetts
throughout her career. Her final performance, in fact, took place in Lowell,
cradle of the industrial revolution. Long before that tragic set, however,
Holiday recorded a series of shows at George Wein’s legendary Boston
club Storyville. Though separated by two years from 1951-53, these
discreet recordings capture "Lady Day" in prime emotive voice. From the
first of Carl Drunkard’s watery piano drops which open "I Cover The
Waterfront" to Sten Getz’s peppy sax supports in the abbreviated closer
"You’re Driving Me Crazy," Holiday evokes a wide palette of feels and
feelings. "Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do" depicts an eerily realistic
abusive relationship with disturbingly defiant laissez faire. Gershwin’s
true classic "I Love You, Porgy," on the other hand, places Holiday in the
position of a lover afraid of losing the one man who treats her right.
Along the way, Holiday also cries, creaks and slurs her way through
such signatures as "I Only Have Eyes For You," Johnny Mercer’s "Too
Marvelous For Words" and her self-penned "Billie’s Blues." Despite 24-bit
remastering, the recordings retain the production value of their original
platters. Even so, the CD is a pleasant and historic record.
Billie Holiday at All About Jazz.
Visit Billie Holiday on the web.
Track listing: 1. I Cover the Waterfront
2. Introduction
3. Too Marvelous for Words
4. I Loves You, Porgy
5. Them There Eyes
6. Willow Weep for Me
7. Introduction
8. I Only Have Eyes for You
9. You Go to My Head
10. He's Funny That Way
11. Billie's Blues
12. Miss Brown to You
13. Lover, Come Back to Me
14. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do
15. You're Driving Me Crazy
Style: Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool
Published: January 21, 2003
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Though born in Baltimore, Billie Holiday had strong ties to Massachusetts
throughout her career. Her final performance, in fact, took place in Lowell,
cradle of the industrial revolution. Long before that tragic set, however,
Holiday recorded a series of shows at George Wein’s legendary Boston
club Storyville. Though separated by two years from 1951-53, these
discreet recordings capture "Lady Day" in prime emotive voice. From the
first of Carl Drunkard’s watery piano drops which open "I Cover The
Waterfront" to Sten Getz’s peppy sax supports in the abbreviated closer
"You’re Driving Me Crazy," Holiday evokes a wide palette of feels and
feelings. "Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do" depicts an eerily realistic
abusive relationship with disturbingly defiant laissez faire. Gershwin’s
true classic "I Love You, Porgy," on the other hand, places Holiday in the
position of a lover afraid of losing the one man who treats her right.
