Jazz
Billie Holiday Vocal
Harry "Sweets" Edison Trumpet
Joe Newman Trumpet
Charlie Shavers Trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland Trombone
Tony Scott Clarinet
Benny Carter Alto Saxophone
Willie Smith Alto Saxophone
Budd Johnson Tenor Saxophone
Flip Phillips Tenor Saxophone
Paul Quinichette Tenor Saxophone
Ben Webster Tenor Saxophone
Wynton Kelly Piano
Billy Taylor Piano
Bobby Tucker Piano
Hank Jones Piano
Jimmy Rowles Piano, Celeste
Oscar Peterson Piano, Organ
Kenny Burrell Guitar
Billy Bauer Guitar
Herb Ellis Guitar
Barry Galbraith Guitar
Freddie Greene Guitar
Barney Kessel Guitar
Aaron Bell Bass
Joe Benjamin Bass
Ray Brown Bass
Red Callender Bass
Milt Hinton Bass
Red Mitchell Bass
Joe Mondragon Bass
John Simmons Bass
Larry Bunker Drums
Cozy Cole Drums
Chico Hamilton Drums
Gus Johnson Drums
Lenny McBrowne Drums
Osie Johnson Drums
Ed Shaughnessey Drums
Alvin Stoller Drums
For many people, Billie Holiday (aka "Lady Day") wasn't just a jazz singer. She was the jazz singer, and remains so today. Thanks to her lifelong struggles with men, alcohol, and drug addiction, Holiday is often viewed as an archetypal example of the suffering artist - a singer who sang her life. And there's no denying the often heartrending quality of the classic recordings she made with musicians like Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson, and Harry "Sweets" Edison.
But Holiday's sophisticated sense of rhythm, subtle melodic improvisations, and nuanced way with a lyric enabled her to invest everything she sang with new meaning, from swinging dance tunes to mournful ballads. And her cool, effortless manner only heightened the emotional impact of her delivery. She influenced several generations of singers and instrumentalists alike, and stands shoulder-to-shoulder alongside such iconic jazz figures as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Charlie Parker.
Original recordings produced by Norman Granz and others. |
