Billie Holiday: The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 - Disc 10 of 10 CD Track Listing

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Billie Holiday The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 - Disc 10 of 10 (1992)
The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 - Disc 10 of 10\n1993 Polygram Records, Inc.\n\nOriginally Released March 1993\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: This is a rather incredible collection: ten CDs enclosed in a tight black box that includes every one of the recordings Verve owns of Billie Holiday, not only the many studio recordings of 1952-57 (which feature Lady Day joined by such jazz all-stars as trumpeters Charlie Shavers and Harry "Sweets" Edison, altoist Benny Carter, and the tenors of Flip Phillips, Paul Quinichette and Ben Webster). Also included are prime performances at Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts in 1945-1947, an enjoyable European gig from 1954, her "comeback" Carnegie Hall concert of 1956, Holiday's rather sad final studio album from 1959, and even lengthy tapes from two informal rehearsals. It's a perfect purchase for the true Billie Holiday fanatic. -- Scott Yanow\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGreat Music, Bad Layout, November 24, 2005\nReviewer: James Morris (Jackson Heights, NY United States)\nMy Five Star rating is for the music. \n\nI am a long time Billie Holiday fan and love all of her music; it's taken many years, but I am confident that I have acquired virtually everything she ever recorded. Although I enjoy every period of her musical development, I am particularly fond of the tracks she recorded for Norman Granz on the Verve label in the 1950's. Naturally, I was thrilled when this box set was announced. \n\nWhile I am grateful to have so complete a box set as Verve has issued here, I have severe problems with the way the material is presented. It's nice that they have released virtually everything in the Verve vaults, but in so doing they have included live performances, alternate takes, false starts, and even some rehearsals. That would have been fine with me, if they hadn't decided to place everything in strictly chronological order. We therefore get Lady Day's great studio sessions interspaced with live concert performances, chatter, rehearsals and incomplete takes, and the total effect makes for very poor continuity. It also makes the boxed set, on the whole, very difficult to enjoy. \n\nA few of the live concert performances have never been released before, and I was thrilled to hear some "new" Billie Holiday. But the audio quality and Billie's performance varies greatly on the live material, and the result is very uneven. And the inclusion of the rehearsal material is questionable, even if you're a die-hard fan like me. \n\nThe 1955 rehearsal with Jimmie Rowles is particularly problematic. This session was released on an LP called Songs and Conversations shortly after Billie's death, and I was frankly surprised to find it included here. It consists of mostly drunken rambling conversation while Billie rehearses with her favorite and most sympathetic pianist. Some of the language is quite raunchy, although most of the discussion is hard to follow anyway, as the audio quality is particularly poor. The alternate studio takes are frequently annoying, especially when they include two or three false starts in a row, and the spoken intros by Norman Granz often included in the master takes are completely unnecessary. It would have worked so much better if they had simply separated the live concert material from the studio sessions and then saved the alternate takes, false starts and rehearsal material for the last couple of discs. It's a pity - I would love to be able to listen to all of Billie's wonderful 1950's studio sessions all the way through, without the distractions of the extra material. Happily, I see that Verve will release a new boxed set of just the studio masters in December 2005. Hopefully they will skip all the chatter (I don't need to hear Mr. Granz announce "All Or Nothing At All, take 5"). A great deal of expense and angst could have been avoided if the track layout for this set had simply been better thought out. \n\nAs for Billie's performances, there is not a bad moment in any of the studio recordings presented here, including the notorious three April 54 tracks that she later dismissed, complaining that the band was drunk. The musicians are all first rate throughout these sessions, and present her with the sympathetic backing she deserved and worked best with. \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nAvoid at all costs, January 29, 2004\nReviewer: A music fan\nThis is one of the worst box sets ever released. There is talking between virtually every track (on 7 or 8 of the 10 cds)(scores and scores of title and take numbers spoken, and respoken. The producer introducing tracks by title and making endlessly pointless studio remarks. (Of course the same uninteresting remark each and every time you play the cd..) Sometimes songs even stop after a single line is sung (or before). Then reslate, retitle and restart for another 20 seconds.\n\nOf course the (properly recorded) music itself is wonderful but it's impossible to fall into any kind of musical reverie with the incessant interruptions (absolutely none of it worth hearing). So if you like Billie Holiday for her *music* this isn't for you.\n\nIn fact, the box set is so utterly unplayable I rebought the music on individual cds so that I can actually listen to it. I'm a big Billie fan, I already had all the music on vinyl before I bought the box set. (Yes, even the very poor bootleg stuff that Verve bought to pad out the box set.)\n\nFinally it's wildly overpriced, around 5/6 of the cd's are only for listening to once (and you might not even manage that. Billie Holiday as a slurring rambling drunk is a big downer and the record company might have shown her a little respect and kept the tapes in the vault. Haven't they made enough off her yet? In the first place they only paid her a fee of $30-$100 per track for a buyout with with no royalties ever.\n\nIn reality at least half the box set is actually unreleasable outtakes/rehearsal tapes - boxed up as full price cds. The whole thing smacks of record company greed.\n\nSo there are only around 4 cds of real, properly recorded releasable master take music. And these can be bought on 2 double cd sets (unfortunately only from Verve) without the talking between tracks. Do yourself a favor and get these instead.\n\nOh yeah, and as if all this isn't enough bad news, they've jammed different sessions on to the same cd - so you get a handful of prime Billie tracks followed by 40 minutes of amateur home recorded rehearsal talking on the same cd. So what emerges is that there is only (I think) one single cd which is prime quality all the way through. (Except for the stopping, retakes and talking between the takes which it also has..)\n\nSo get any other Billie Holiday box set than this - but get one!\n\nVerve should be ashamed of themselves for ruining an incredible archive like this. And making me feel so ripped off that I had to go to the trouble of writing this. Thanks Amazon for the cheap therapy.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\na lot of stuff, but indispensable, August 30, 2003\nReviewer: Robert Holliston (Victoria, B.C. Canada)\nThere are many rehearsal cuts in this box set, which may not be of interest to all listeners. Plus, there are many live performances recorded with less than ideal equipment. \nThat said, this is THE collection for those of us who love Billie's 1950s work. It's all here, and it's all wonderful - those who agree with Miles Davis that Lady Day's chief attribute during this decade was her rhythmic flexibility will be more than satisfied, and those who love her expressiveness will be more than amply rewarded.\nThe accompaniments are exemplary, featuring many of the greatest players of that Golden Era.\nPlus, of course, she's singing some of the greatest songs ever written, and her attention to lyrics is beyond comparison.\nShe never had Ella's vocal range and flexibility and virtuosity (or her sweetness of sound); she never came close to Sarah's level of musicianship (or her richness of sound). But this set will convince you that Billie was the greatest of the great: to borrow from Virginia Woolf, among major jazz singers, Billie is the hardest to catch at the act of being great.\n\nThis is an important release. Miss it at your soul's peril.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nthe best billie holiday..., February 26, 2002\nReviewer: James Tg Fuentes (quezon city Philippines)\nso much has been said about the kind of vocalist she has turned into by the time she signed up with verve - a voice ravaged by ill fated romantic liaisons, drugs and alcohol...not to mention jail time. \n\nwhat will ultimately make you favor this collection over her works with columbia, decca (her best - vocally) and commodore is one word - pathos. some of her previous material rerecorded for verve seem to have a more emotional pull - simply listen to "strangefruit" from her "the decca years" and the one found on this set. this collection covers her ENTIRE verve record stint - warts and all - some of them captured live (check out disc 10). never has the words "bonus tracks" been used more liberally, with one disc devoted entirely to her rehearsal sessions giving the listener a rare peek at a billie holiday at work. the book makes for a very interesting read. never has the color black been a more appropriate choice for packaging either. tip: if packaging means a lot to you, you're better off getting the american edition - the cd labels are more faithful copies of the various verve imprints than the ones on the european edition.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nExcellent release with lousy packaging, December 6, 2001\nReviewer: michael mccarthy (Republic of Texas. Secede!)\nI was lucky enough to purchase this box when it was originally released back in 1993. The box and packaging itself are beautiful (not to mention the music). Unfortunately somewhere down the line the box was changed from a heavy and embossed container that would sit proudly next to the new Lady Day box (also excellent packaging) or the amazing Charley Patton box to a thin cardboard cover that you'd expect from the cheap European jazz collections. The CDs were housed together with the book in a hardback package. Now the CDs are separate in plastic jewel cases and the book is a cheaper softback version of the original. Why this beautiful release was changed is unknown to me; too expensive to make? a change in record label personal? I do know that if you are lucky enough to find the first pressing you're in for a treat. Five stars to the original package release. Two stars for this edition. And of course Amazon doesn't supply enough stars for the gorgeous music found here.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nHaunting beauty, July 22, 2001\nReviewer: Nicolas S. Martin (Indianapolis, IN United States)\nBillie Holiday ranks among the most greatest products of American culture. No cultivated person (as if there is such a thing anymore) should be without her major works. This collection is probably too big a slice for the occasional listener. For that person, some albums from which this box is drawn might be better, including Lady in Satin and Songs for Distingue Lovers. But for a devoted Holiday listener this is a treasure. In fact, one need not feel forced to choose between the early Columbia Billie and the later Verve Billie, or even to defend the Decca years. There is enjoyment to be had from all periods of her career. For maximum pleasure, set your CD changer to "random," with Billie and Louis Armstrong discs inside, and thank your lucky stars you live in a culture that produced such excellence. And wonder where we have since gone wrong . . .\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nLady in Her Autumn Years, July 17, 2001\nReviewer: Peter (East of Los Angeles)\nEnough already with all this debate whether her later years ('50s) or early years ('30s) were better. Why can't we all enjoy her music for what it is and represents, which is A LOT! True, Billie Holiday's voice became ravaged, worn and narrow in range as she entered her last decade on earth in the 1950s, but for all that she lost, she made up for in tons of wisdom, experience and feeling in her singing. She'll never scale vocal heights attained by Ella or Sassy, but she's a totally different singer too. Ella or Sass couldn't match Lady's depth of feeling and soulful phrasing, and they all knew it. This gem of a collection (10 CD's!) should provide plenty of feeling, soul, experience---whatever you want to call it---that became Billie Holiday's trademark for the singer that she is remembered for today. A great comprehensive look at the singer in studio album cuts and live concert tracks. \nMy only reservation was including the home tapings of Lady's rehearsals with her fellow accompanists, some of it as wasted chatter and joking. Though her devoted fans might want to hear Lady 'cuss using 4-letter words or her racy humor, I could do without it. Still it provides another surprising lighthearted look at the person behind Billie. Definitely a must for her fans!\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe dark years, June 3, 2001\nReviewer: Jake Gonzalez (Chicago)\nMost critics believe Billie's early years were her best years. They are wrong. Although I am a fan of her early work, it is the recordings she made later in life that grip me by the throat. In those years, her dreams were becoming nightmares, the grey clouds darker. Yet, a glimmer of hope managed to emerge from her voice, even as she sang the most heart-wrenching ballads. I've heard many say that she couldn't sing. They fail to realize that she does much more than sing. Sure, she stetches and folds notes, but in saying that, you loose the magic. Billie let her soul sing. The strength in her frail voice during those later years is enormous. Listen to Tenderly, You Go to My Head and I Cover the Waterfront. Whether you are still moarning the loss of an old love or celebrating a new one, her voice will say it all.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSweet Gardenia, May 17, 2000\nReviewer: Joshua (New York)\n...Holiday's brilliance, in spite of and in synch with the circumstance of her life does something religious, transcends, translates and transforms everyday existence.\nThis box set is a great gift to those of us wishing to understand better our love for Lady. The insight into her musical journeys in the final years of her life is fascinating. Although many critics have contended that Holiday's genius lay, for the most part, in her earlier Columbia recordings I feel this box set nullifies that argument. Not because Holiday's Columbia recordings weren't brilliant, but because the Lady we here in her Verve Days is almost a different artist. \n\nHere we have a Billie of resillience as we witness in the recordings of her 1954 Jazz Club USA performance on Dics 2 & 3. We have an artist choosing new (for her) material and revitalized while nearing the end of her life in the 1957 Norman Granz run sessions. We are given a look into the recording world of Holiday will rehearsal tapes from Artie Shapiro's home in 1955. These are particularly interesting as we are given a chance to hear her in both the process of crafting each song. A step from this to the 1955 August 25th recording session tapes allows into the reminiscient dialogue of Billie and her band while reshaping Holiday classics like "Strange Fruit".\n\nMy personal highlights hit in the Jazz Club USA jam session of "Billie's Blues", discussion in the '55 studio session over "Nice Work If You Can Get" where Holiday explains why she feels she can never sing a song the same twice. (This is erroneous in actuality - in some ways this being because of the limitations of her substance abuse, but we'll let her have it because we love her.) And finally the final Verve Recordings of Holiday for MGM in 1959 in the "Lady In Satin" tradition with Ellis. Although not as tightly emotionally moving as "Lady In Satin", a beautiful extension of the sentiment nonetheless.\n\nThe liner notes are extensive, informative and fascinating - could be a book themself, but by length so could this review. Special graces to Phil Schaap for his precise discography and session notes. \n\nThis is a whole lot of expensive, this box set. But it's worth it. It allows a brief insight into the studio of a genius, an extensive retrospective of one of the most important American artists EVER and a whole lot of joy, pain, beauty and magic all rolled into a tiny square box.\n\nHalf.com Details \nContributing artists: Buck Clayton, Charlie Shavers, Coleman Hawkins, Freddie Green, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Rowles, Milt Hinton, Oscar Peterson\n\nAlbum Notes\nIncludes a 220-page book with liner notes, photographs, reproductions of Billie Holiday's Verve album covers, and extensive interviews with Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Barney Kessel. Of 10 CDs contained in the set, 8 are of studio and concert recordings, including her Carnegie Hall debut concert, Jazz At The Philharmonic recordings, Lady Day's last recording session, and 2 unissued alternate takes. The other 2 CDs contain rehearsal sessions.\n\nPersonnel includes: \n\nBillie Holiday (vocals); \nWillie Smith, Benny Carter (alto saxophone); \nIllinois Jacquet, Wardell Gray, Charlie Ventura, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone); \nHoward McGee, Buck Clayton, Charlie Shavers, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge (trumpet); \nTrummy Young (trombone); \nRed Norvo (vibraphone); \nMilt Raskin, Ken Kersey, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Clark, Billy Taylor, Jimmy Rowles, Wynton Kelly, Tony Scott, Mal Waldron (piano); \nFreddie Green (guitar); \nTiny Grimes, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis (electric guitar); \nCharles Mingus, Curly Russell, Al McKibbon, Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, Milt Hinton, Joe Benjamin (bass); \nDavid Coleman, J.C. Heard, Alvin Stoller, Ed Shaughnessy, Cozy Cole, Jo Jones (drums).\n\nProducers include: Norman Granz, Ray Ellis, Leonard Feather, Leroy Lovett, Tony Scott.\n\nCompilation producer: Phil Schaap.\nIncludes liner notes by Buck Clayton, Phil Schaap, Bob Porter, and Joel E. Siegel.\n\nDigitally remastered by Thomas "Curly" Ruff, Suha Gur, Andrew Nicholas, Joseph M. Palmaccio, Patrick Ryan (Polygram Studios).\n\nTHE COMPLETE BILLIE HOLIDAY ON VERVE, 1945-1959 won the 1994 Grammy Award for "Recording Package," "Album Notes" and "Historical Album."\n\nVery few contemporary artists are worthy of exhaustive, multiple-CD retrospectives, but the jazz legend Billie Holiday certainly makes the cut. This 10-CD set, with a hard-bound, lavishly photographed accompanying book, is a must for serious fans of Lady Day and those with a deep interest in the history of classic jazz. While some buffs contend that it was Holiday's earlier recordings for Columbia and Decca that were her best, many aficionados find her final recordings during the Verve years to be her richest, most mature and most poignant work. At this point, the heartache in her voice was nearly palpable. The collection--with its multiple takes, rehearsal recordings, transcripts of conversations, interviews with collaborators, live recordings and more--has enough music and history to keep Holiday fans engrossed for years to come.\nBy the mid-1940s, Holiday's many vices had culminated into full-blown heroin addiction, and her voice--the unique instrument that made her a legend--was beginning to suffer along with her weakened body. But Verve's fine roster of legendary jazzmen--both up-and-comers like Barney Kessel and Oscar Peterson, and aging masters like Ben Webster--bolstered her singing with their sympathetic and masterly accompaniment.\n\nIndustry Reviews\n...[Billie Holiday] had innate musicianship that surpassed technique and it maintained her art even as her voice and her life deteriorated. In her late career, when she seemed to be operating only on existential pain, she produced singing that reaches the deepest levels of human emotional response... JazzTimes (03/01/1993)
This jazz cd contains 25 tracks and runs 63min 18sec.
Freedb: 760ed419

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