Lady Sings The Blues (1972 Film) [Soundtrack]

Amazon.com
Face it, when searching for female singers to portray the hard-knock life of troubled jazz legend Billie Holiday, Diana Ross's name shouldn't even have come to mind. But portray her she did, earning herself an Oscar nod in the process. The mother of all divas did Lady Day's legacy proud. This soundtrack (which includes dialogue from the 1972 film) ain't Holiday, but it ain't bad; Ross is in fine and flavorful voice. She manages to both capture Holiday's idiosyncratic sound (which such pretenders to the throne as Erykah Badu have trampled on) and still sound enough like herself to satisfy her own legions of fans. She conjures up Holiday's vulnerability and phrasing without attempting to slavishly imitate. As an homage this works. --Amy Linden

Lady Sings The Blues (1972 Film),Gil Askey,Original Soundtrack,Michel Legrand,Motown / Pgd,Pop,R&B,Soul,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Soundtrack

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Average customer rating: DIANA ROSS EXPLORES THE WORLD OF BLUES & JAZZ...And Does It Quite Well! MAJOR ROSS CAREER HIGHLIGHT The Essence of Lady Day is Captured by Ms Ross Ms. Ross's Is So So Fine -- Her Best Recording ! Lady Diana

Lady Sings The Blues (1972 Film) Gil Askey , Original Soundtrack , and Michel Legrand Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Motown | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classic R&B | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classic R&B | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Motown | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Motown | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Soul General | Soul | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Soul General | Soul | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Lady Sings the Blues Blue Sparkle: Music From The Warner Bros. Motion Picture Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues Diana & Marvin ASIN: B000001ABB Release Date: 1992-04-13

Tracks:

1. The Arrest
2. Lady Sings The Blues
3. Baltimore Brothel
4. Billie Sneaks Into Dean & Dean's Swingin Uptown
5. T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
6. Big Ben, C.C. Rider
7. All Of Me
8. The Man I Love
9. Them There Eyes
10. Gardenias From Louis
11. Cafe Manhattan
12. God Bless The Child
13. I Cried For You (Now It's Your Turn To Cry Over Me)
14. Billie & Harry, Don't Explain
15. Mean To Me
16. Fine And Mellow
17. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
18. Louis Visits Billie On Tour, Love Theme
19. Cafe Manhattan Party
20. Persuasion, T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
21. Agent's Office
22. Love Is Here To Stay
23. Fine And Mellow
24. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
25. You've Changed
26. Gimme A Pigfoot (And A Bottle Of Beer)
27. Good Morning Heartache
28. All Of Me
29. Love Theme
30. My Man (Mon Homme)
31. Don't Explain
32. I Cried For You (Now It's Your Turn To Cry Over Me)
33. Strange Fruit
34. God Bless The Child
35. Closing Theme

Amazon.com

Face it, when searching for female singers to portray the hard-knock life of troubled jazz legend Billie Holiday, Diana Ross's name shouldn't even have come to mind. But portray her she did, earning herself an Oscar nod in the process. The mother of all divas did Lady Day's legacy proud. This soundtrack (which includes dialogue from the 1972 film) ain't Holiday, but it ain't bad; Ross is in fine and flavorful voice. She manages to both capture Holiday's idiosyncratic sound (which such pretenders to the throne as Erykah Badu have trampled on) and still sound enough like herself to satisfy her own legions of fans. She conjures up Holiday's vulnerability and phrasing without attempting to slavishly imitate. As an homage this works. --Amy Linden

Customer Reviews:

DIANA ROSS EXPLORES THE WORLD OF BLUES & JAZZ...And Does It Quite Well!.......2006-09-06

Of all of the Motown acts Diana Ross (With and without the Supremes) was always given the room to explore various settings including Pop, Standards, Disney Favorites, Show Tunes, and the list goes on and on. On this Soundtrack not only was she given the opportunity to record Billie Holiday blues & jazz favorites but she (Diana Ross) also got her first major starring role in movie "Lady Sings The Blues". Both Movie & Soundtrack were runaway smashes. As a result of the Top Ten hit single from the Soundtrack "Good Morning Heartaches", a new interest in Billie Holiday recordings took off. Be forwarned none of these recordings on this Soundtrack have the more familiar Motown Sound of the 70's, but well orchestrated blues, jazz & pop chestnuts by the one and only Gil Askey.

These are the type of recordings where you'll want to get your favorite drink and enjoy such jewels as "Mean To Me", "Fine And Mellow", "You've Changed", "Don't Explain", "God Bless The Child" (And others)....Sit back and enjoy. The only down side is that it includes excerpts from the Movie spliced in throughout (Unless you've seen the movie, then it might make a slight difference). For the most part you'll get to explore one of Diana Ross' most successful attemps at blues & jazz that she revisted several times since.

MAJOR ROSS CAREER HIGHLIGHT.......2005-05-12

Putting aside all of the liberties taken by the film makers with Billie Holiday's "autobiography" [she reportedly took many herself!], the music and the singing here do the Holiday legacy proud. Diana Ross is simply stunning in these faithful renditions; faithful in capturing the mood and tone, while not actually imitating Ms. Holiday. Holiday is revered by jazz "purists;" I find her fascinating, if not always easy to listen to [especially her later recordings]. Ms. Holiday, nonetheless, influenced probably every major jazz singer, and many musicians to boot (even Frank Sinatra stated what a huge influence she was on his approach and phrasing; being a student of his vocal technique, I do hear the Holiday influence on his performance of "Drinking Again," "I'm A Fool to Want You," and some others). Here, Gil Askey's arrangements are incredibly tasty and palatable. Palatability and accessibility are generally not huge selling points for those who consider themselves purists. But, that's Ross and Motown. And it's all OK.

The dialog and musical excerpts included in the first part of the soundtrack are OK, helping to give one the flavor of the film; the other half of the album features full-length version of the tunes, exactly as arranged for the film sequences. The Michel Legrand score pieces are fine, perhaps a bit overwrought and un-jazzy for this film. But the main theme is a rather lovely melody. The best Holiday songs were selected for Ms. Ross to sing, so this also serves as a fine introduction to Ms. Holiday's work.

This is one Ross album that could do with a deluxe reissue. ESSENTIAL for Ross fans.

The Essence of Lady Day is Captured by Ms Ross.......2005-04-26

Diana Ross certainly ruffled a few feathers among the "purists" when it was announced that she was to portray one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. One of their main gripes was that the young 28 year old Ms Ross simply had lived enough to even dare stepping on Lady Day's territory.

The movie itself came under criticism for its lack of authenticity in certain areas, and for the glossing over of Holiday's turbulent life and career. Where the movie and the music shine forth so powerfully is that it captures the essence of Holiday. Diana showcases Holiday's triumphs, vulnerability and confusion in such a poignant way that it cannot fail to move even the hardest critic.

Diana didn't try to imitate Ms Holiday - no one could have, really. Instead, she created new interpretations of Holiday's classics.

There's a rich feel to the soundtrack, and this is reinforced by dialogue from the film. Many of the musicians who played with Billie were drafted in to perform for the film and this is explains why the calibre of the music was so high. The orchestra was conducted by the legendary Gil Askey, who has worked with Diana since her time with the Supremes.

There are several outstanding tracks here, namely:

"Don't Explain" - a touch of melancholy
"Fine and Mellow"
"Lover Man"
"You've Changed" - captures Billie's heartache - very moving
"Good Morning Heartache" - stunning vocal performance
"My Man (Mon Homme)" - incredible torch song!
"Love Theme" - a beautiful instrumental written by French composer Michael Le Grand
"God Bless the Child" - a commanding performance

"Strange Fruit" is a haunting song that reveals the horror of lynching in the Deep South. Diana's crystal clear diction and intonation are incredible - to the point of being eerie.

The soundtrack raced to the #1 spot on the Billboard album charts, and became the fastest selling Motown album at the time. Quite why Diana, Gil Askey and Michel Le Grand weren't awarded Grammies for their sterling efforts is one of life's minor mysteries.

As for Diana missing out on the Oscar, I have my own theory about why: Hollywood just weren't quite ready to give up its most glittered prize - in the leading Best Actress category - to a woman of colour. Interestingly, Cicely Tyson (another fine actress) was also nominated for a Best Actress Oscar at the same time as Diana. We'd have to wait some 30 years (how crazy was that?) for Halle Berry to scoop the award and make history. I reckon that denying Diana the Oscar was a way of keeping her and Motown firmly in their place.

Nevertheless, the film and the soundtrack have stood the test of time, and represent some of best of Diana's work. It's a beautiful, moving performance that showcased Diana's gift for jazz interpretation. This soundtrack comes highly recommended.

Ms. Ross's Is So So Fine -- Her Best Recording !.......2004-10-06

I just heard this CD again this week after a long time. I must say this CD still stands the test of time, even after 30 years. Diana Ross is to be commended for her superb interpretations of these Billie Holiday standards -- all classics. It must have seem daunting for Diana Ross to tackle the role of Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues". True, the movie took many knocks for sensationalizing the seedier aspects of Billie's drug use and promiscuity, but no one can knock Diana's performance in that movie. I still don't understand how Diana Ross lost the Best Actress Oscar to Liza Minnelli for "Cabaret" that year. Perhaps Hollywood was not yet ready to bestow an Oscar for Leading Actress to a black woman. That's the only reason. It took Halle Berry to finally win one almost 30 years later for "Monster's Ball", which paled in comparison to Ms. Ross's performance in "Lady Sings the Blues", but that's another story.

My only quibble with this soundtrack is that Berry Gordy decided to instill snippets from the movie's dialogue into the soundtrack, which seems jarring when listening to the entire CD. But this is a soundtrack CD after all, so I guess Berry Gordy and Motown wanted it to be as authentic as it could.

All the songs are standouts, but Ms. Ross really shines in "Good Morning Heartache" (Motown released this as a single back in 1972) and probably her finest track "God Bless the Child". This is no mean feat since those songs are forever identified with Lady Day, but Diana manages to instill her own character into the song without robbing its essence. Certainly very, very praiseworthy.

Ms. Ross also was in great voice during this period as a recording artist. Having gone solo a few years earlier from the Supremes, her voice is warm and supple with just the right amount of lilt, which makes interpreting these Lady Day classics a bonus to hear. Again, much praise indeed to "Lady Diana" for a great singing and acting job.

Does anybody wanna know that Diana Ross has YET to win a Grammy? That's no joke! No Grammy and No Oscar. Is someone trying to send a message to Diana Ross ???

Lady Diana.......2002-09-15

Diana Ross did her thing on this album and film. I love this soundtrack ,because you can really feel the pain in Diana's voice which gives you the pain in Billie's life. It also gives you dialouge from the movie,which shows you why Diana was nominated for an oscar[which was stole from her and given to Liza Minneli ]. This soundtract and film is what seperated Diana from supreme to susperstar.

Average customer rating: The Same Lady Sings the Blues Relax with the Ladies! nice Excellent Sound Nostalgia This Lady is no Tramp...

Lady Sings the Blues Various Artists Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Female Vocal Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lady Sings the Blues, Vol. 2 Torch Songs Sirens of Song: Classic Torch Singers Torch Songs Great Ladies Sing the Blues ASIN: B00008J2K1 Release Date: 2003-03-25

Tracks:

1. Key Largo - Sarah Vaughn
2. Solitude - Ella Fitzgerald
3. Embraceable You - Dianne Reeves
4. Don't Go To Strangers - Etta James
5. Call Me - Della Reese
6. I'm Just A Lucky So And So - Diana Krall
7. Call Me Irresponsible - Dinah Washington
8. Something Cool - June Christy
9. You Go To My Head - Keely Smith
10. The Very Thought Of You - Nancy Wilson
11. My Funny Valentine - Dinah Shore
12. It Had To Be You - Kay Starr
13. One For My Baby - Rosemary Clooney
14. I'll Be Seeing You - Peggy Lee

Tracks:

1. Here's That Rainy Day - Peggy Lee
2. Stormy Weather - Sarah Vaughn
3. In A Sentimental Mood - Dianne Reeves
4. They Can't Take That Away From Me - Diana Krall
5. Body And Soul - Etta James
6. Someday My Prince Will Come - Cassandra Wilson
7. More Than This - Charlie Hunter
8. The Thrill Is Gone - Patricia Barber
9. You've Changed - Nancy Wilson
10. Cry Me A River - Julie London
11. Don't Explain - June Christy
12. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?) - Rosemary Clooney
13. I Wish You Love - Keely Smith
14. We'll Be Together Again - Lena Horne

Amazon.com

We've called them torch singers, divas, chanteuses, and the First Ladies of American Song. And as the contemporary, Grammy-bedecked ascent of Norah Jones (who appears here with Charlie Hunter) attests, these ladies who sing the blues continue to reinterpret a tradition rooted in the blues, yet steeped in songcraft that spans jazz, pop, and even rock. This double-disc, 26-track collection spans a half-century-plus and offers up not only a tantalizing introduction to legends and pioneers (including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Della Reese, Etta James, Lena Horne) and an equally rich body of song standards, but also chronicles how an originally largely black heritage in effect became the pop mainstream in the '40s and '50s (and beyond) via the work of singers like Dinah Shore, Kay Starr, June Christy, Peggy Lee and Julie London. It's also a testament to how vital that legacy remains, with Jones' own Brazilian-inflected cover of Bryan Ferry's "More Than This" and Patricia Barber's spare, sultry '90s read of "The Thrill Is Gone" but two strong examples of the set's expansive scope. It's a compelling sampler and the best kind of musical appetizer: One that leaves you craving more. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

The Same Lady Sings the Blues.......2004-05-04

Altho the disk spans 50 years of torch singing, it amazed me how all these ladies sound the same. Only Etta James stands out with some life in her voice, everyone else is so so smooth I lose track of who is singing.

Relax with the Ladies!.......2004-02-24

This is a very nice cd. The contributions by Norah Jones and Patricia Barber alone are well worth the price. Where is Tierney Sutton?!

nice.......2004-02-05

Wow these womens voice can sound as deep as the ocean to as high as the everlasting sky. Each song & singer is fantastic!

Excellent Sound Nostalgia.......2003-07-09

A Great Gift Album. At my tender age of 61 a family member ordered this album. The engineering is as smooth as the music; super sound and super stars. "New" pop, jazz, etc., have nothing to offer compared to those singing pioneers, who just became better and better with age. Anything else is just a mere copy of perfection. There isn't another Peggy Lee, who I heard on stage in the 1960s. She awed everyone with her love of music and a generous performance filled with so many encores for an audience with endless requests. All the Ladies on the album are the best singing so many "best" classics-all blues-of course!

This Lady is no Tramp..........2003-04-18

The fire of Etta James, the elegance, clarity and perfect pitch of Ella and the sophomoric verve of newcomer Norah Jones creates an amazing mosaic of the incredible history of women in jazz. I initially found myself trying to find a logical connection between the very diverse tracks and artists but resigned those analytical impulses to the emotion, truth and appeal of the CD. It somehow alludes the discombobulation of typical "best of" CD's but rather delivers a very fluid soundtrack feel. It seems to indirectly chronicle the struggle, tenacity and success of the best women in jazz; excellent production underscores the legendary tracks and voices.

Average customer rating:

The Best of Carmen Cavallaro Manufacturer: Mvp Japan ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Rota, Nino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sarasate | Sarasate, Pablo de | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Poet of the Piano Alone Together: The Art of the Cocktail Piano Piano E Orchestra Stairway to the Stars: More Cocktail Piano Favorites My Sentimental Heart: 1946 ASIN: B000006XI5 Release Date: 1996-11-07

Average customer rating:

Lady Sings the Blues, Vol. 2 Various Artists Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lady Sings the Blues Torch Songs Sirens of Song: Classic Torch Singers Torch Songs Great Ladies Sing the Blues ASIN: B0002MHEKU Release Date: 2004-08-24

Tracks:

1. As Long As I Live - Diana Krall
2. I Wish I Didn't Love You So - Aretha Franklin
3. Victim of a Foolish Heart - Joss Stone
4. Rocky Mountain Blues - Billie Holiday
5. If You Could See Me Now - Peggy Lee
6. As Long As He Needs Me - Shirley Bassey
7. Moonglow - Sarah Vaughan
8. Here's That Rainy Day - Nancy Wilson
9. Comes Love - Dianne Reeves
10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To - Helen Merrill & Clifford Brown
11. Just Friends - Dinah Washington
12. What Is This Thing Called Love? - Keely Smith
13. Sentimental Journey - Kay Starr
14. Laura - Julie London
15. I Cried for You (Now It's Your Turn To Cry Over Me) - Sara Vaughan & Count Basie
16. I'm Thru With Love - Carmen McRae
17. Little Boy Lost - Cassandra Wilson & Jacky Terrasson
18. Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald
19. Walk On By - Dionne Warwick
20. Yesterday - Eva Cassidy

Average customer rating: What a wonderful mistake DIANA ROSS DOES BLUES, JAZZ & POP...Live! Up Close & Personal excellent

Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings Jazz & Blues Diana Ross Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Motown | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Classic R&B | Live Albums | R&B | Styles | Music Soul | Live Albums | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Blue Take Me Higher Every Day Is a New Day To Love Again Diana Ross Live - The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues (Stolen Moments) ASIN: B000001AKO Release Date: 1993-04-20

Tracks:

1. Fine and Mellow
2. Them There Eyes
3. Don't Explain
4. What a Little Moonlight Can Do
5. Mean to Me
6. Lover Man
7. Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)
8. Little Girl Blue
9. There's a Small Hotel
10. I Cried for You
11. Man I Love
12. God Bless the Child
13. Love Is Here to Stay
14. You've Changed
15. Strange Fruit
16. Good Morning Heartache
17. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
18. My Man
19. Fine and Mellow (Reprise)

Customer Reviews:

What a wonderful mistake.......2007-01-05

I thought I was ordering the "Lady sings the blues" soundtrack and wound up getting this. I listened to it and really loved it. It is a very intimate performance Diana did at some point. Let me tell you if you are any kind of fan of Ms Ross' you will love this CD. Don't pass it up. There will probably never be another one like it.

DIANA ROSS DOES BLUES, JAZZ & POP...Live! Up Close & Personal.......2006-09-06

Should have been the title, it was surely "Stolen Moments". Diana in front of small crowd (An intimate setting of course), and a very relaxed, but well put together band (including some top name jazz musicians) all put together by the one and only Gil Askey!

So in short you have free-flowing arrangements, a relaxed Diana Ross doing Blues, Jazz and Pop songs (A few from the "Lady Sings The Blues" soundtrack), an amazed crowd, and the recording tape that caught it all...What more could you ask for??? This is worth buying an expensive botle wine (Or the better stronger stuff)...Sit back relax, enjoy and wish you were right there with what I call a Treasured Moment with Diana Ross!!!

excellent.......1997-09-05

this was one of the best books I've ever read. The movie only covers a small part of Lady Day. She lead an interesting life. the movie only touched a small portion of her drug addticted life. I read this book in the 1970's and still remember how it touched my life as an adult. this book I highly recommend. END

Average customer rating: Beleive it -- this album is a must for Billie fans. Ah, the Verve years A Curiosity Lady Day's Best Work Despite The Bad Times She Had Not great

Lady Sings the Blues: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol.4 Billie Holiday Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Female Vocal Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Music for Torching: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 5 Solitude: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 Jazz at the Philharmonic: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 1 Mack the Knife: The Complete Ella in Berlin At Carnegie Hall: The Billie Holliday Story, Vol.6 ASIN: B0000046SJ Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

1. Say It Isn't So
2. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
3. I Wished On The Moon
4. Always
5. Everything Happens To Me
6. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
7. Ain't Misbehavin'
8. Trav'lin' Light
9. I Must Have That Man!
10. Some Other Spring
11. Lady Sings The Blues
12. Strange Fruit
13. God Bless The Child
14. Good Morning Heartache
15. No Good Man
16. Rehearsal For God Bless The Child

Amazon.com

This CD includes material from two fine small-group sessions recorded in 1955 and '56, with arrangements provided by clarinetist Tony Scott and excellent support from trumpeter Charlie Shavers, tenorist Budd Johnson, and a young Kenny Burrell on guitar. The standards of the first session come alive with Holiday's ability to bring complex shadings to familiar material, while the later session includes some of her most personal and emotionally charged material. Her voice has a searing intensity on the late recording of "Strange Fruit," and there are powerful versions of "God Bless the Child" and "Lady Sings the Blues," songs written with Holiday's own lyrics. The CD concludes with an intimate view of Lady Day at work, a 15-minute rehearsal tape of her working through "God Bless the Child" with Scott at the piano. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Beleive it -- this album is a must for Billie fans........2004-12-29

I recently acquired this album and though it has the basic Billie repertoire I am really impressed by the arrangements and the new life Bilie is bringing to her old classics. Billie has come full circle in this album accompanied by great muscians -- it had me mesmerized. Billies' singing has lifted up my spirits and I don't like to critic and hope this review will make the future buyer of this album experience what I experienced. The trumpet and the piano and the sax and Billie is the best.

Ah, the Verve years.......2004-01-02

Yes, this is a fantastic release, but my biggest complaint is the songs are not in the same order as the original release (cd or lp), so if you rearrange them to be in their proper order, it's fine, but why would they rearrange the tracks? A bad mistake, one which, in my opinion, keeps this from a 5 star rating. I'm of the opinion that Holiday's Verve (high) years were her best, and, of course, there are two camps in this 'argument' so we'll have to agree to disagree. The Verve years have always been, and always will be, my personal favorite. Nothing like this early in the morning with your favorite cup of java.

A Curiosity.......2003-05-29

I would have to take strong exception to the notion that Billie's late period is her best. She gets so much emotion out of a song that the added "drama" of her increasingly troubled life and waning pipes becomes, at best, superfluous and, at worst, a distraction. Nevertheless, this 1956 collection, one of Verve's "Desert Island Discs," has much to offer, particularly her singularly affecting interpretation of Dorothy Parker's "I Wished on the Moon" (taken at a slower tempo than on her other recordings and with the inclusion of the song's verse).

But at over 117 minutes (How did Verve pull that off? Aren't non-compressed CD's limited to 80 minutes?), the program begins to run out of steam. The "arrangements" are quickly-sketched heads by Tony Scott, whose clarinet becomes cloying and overly-busy at times (especially when he insists on improvising during Billie's singing). Tempos and voicings become pretty predictable, though there are some sparkling solos by pianist Billy Taylor as well as trumpeter Charlie Shavers.

The photos of Billie shot during the session capture a different side of her--neither the glamorous Lady Day of the past nor the mummified, cosmetic beauty of her "Lady in Satin" album but the hard, yet very "natural," look of a harried, tired school teacher who still, somehow, suggests that she means business.

The real kicker on this CD is the inclusion of the 15-minute rehearsal tape (made on a cheap home machine) of Scott and Billie going over (and over and over) "God Bless the Child" in search of a key and arrangement that the singer can assent to. What surprised me was Billie's strength and command. Even though the first key is a fifth above the one that is finally settled on, she executes the upper-register notes in the higher key with surprising ease and power. Moreover, she lays to rest the misconception (admittedly, shared by me) that her voice during this period was largely a whisper salvaged by the microphone. Not only does she project the song; she practically belts it!

Lady Day's Best Work Despite The Bad Times She Had.......2002-01-25

There are two schools of fans when it comes to Lady Day :(1) fans who loved her voice when she was strong and brilliant, resounding with a fine vibratto before the drugs came into play and (2) the post-drug Holiday who still can swing and jazz the songs up fine and dandy, even singing songs that are heartbreaking to her. I belong to the second. Holiday has a brilliant touch in singing jazz, blues and, yes, even love songs. Her brilliance shines so strongly in this CD that you can feel every beat of her heart that saw rough times. I have never heard a better version of P.S. I Love You or I Thought About You. Aside from the wonderful interpretation brought by her, the CD quality sound of the songs brings her voice alive and well. Lady Day deserves to be heard by her fans, especially those who love to hear her swing or cry about this thing called love.

Not great.......2000-07-13

While I love Billie, in her own words, these sessions were dull, and uninspired. Since the reviews should focus on one CD, that is the jist of it; boring renditions, and back up musicians that are not the ones that Billie was used to making for a very uneven collection.

Average customer rating:

Lady Sings the Blues Billie Holiday Manufacturer: Universal ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Female Vocal Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000793AYW Release Date: 2005-03-07

Tracks:

1. Lady Sings The Blues
2. Trav'lin' Light
3. I Must Have That Man
4. Some Other Spring
5. Strange Fruit
6. No Good Man
7. God Bless The Child
8. Good Morning Heartache
9. Love Me Or Leave Me
10. Too Marvelous For Words
11. Willow Weep For Me
12. I Thought About You
13. P.S. I Love You (Bonus Track)
14. Softly (Bonus Track)
15. Stormy Blues (Bonus Track)

Average customer rating:

Lady Sings the Blues Billie Holiday Manufacturer: Universal/Polygram ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Female Vocal Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B00000890K Release Date: 1999-05-26

Tracks:

1. Lady Sings the Blues
2. Travelin' Light
3. I Must Have That Man
4. Some Other Spring
5. Strange Fruit
6. No Good Man
7. God Bless the Child
8. Good Morning Heartache
9. Love Me or Leave Me
10. Too Marvelous for Words
11. Willow Weep for Me
12. I Thought About You
13. P.S. I Love You
14. Softly
15. Stormy Blues

Album Details

Classic Album Now Reissued with Three Bonus Tracks and 24bit Remastering.

Average customer rating: Truncated a hidden classic Wonderful record exquisite album

My Funny Valentine - Frederica Von Stade Sings Rodgers & Hart Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Stade, Frederica von | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Von Stade, Frederica | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Rodgers, Richard | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: A Protrait of Frederica von Stade Frederica von Stade - Voyage à Paris Frederica von Stade Sings Brubeck: Across Your Dreams Frederica von Stade Sings Mozart & Rossini Arias [Hybrid SACD] The Sound Of Music (1987 Studio Cast) ASIN: B000002RRQ Release Date: 1993-11-09

Tracks:

1. Babes In Arms: 'My Funny Valentine'
2. Chee-Chee: 'I Must Love You'
3. Too Many Girls: 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was'
4. Chee-Chee: 'Moon Of My Delight'
5. I'd Rather Be Right: 'Ev'rybody Loves You'
6. Heads Up!: 'A Ship Without a Sail'
7. On Your Toes: 'Quiet Night'
8. A Connecticut Yankee (Revival): 'To Keep My Love Alive'
9. Too Many Girls: 'Love Never Went To College'
10. Too Many Girls (Film Version): 'You're Nearer'
11. Betsy: 'If I Were You'
12. Pal Joey: 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered'
13. Two Weeks With Pay: 'Now That I Know You'
14. Dearest Enemy: 'Bye And Bye'
15. Lido Lady: 'Atlantic Blues'
16. Babes In Arms: 'Where Or When'
17. The Boys From Syracuse: 'Falling in Love With Love'

Customer Reviews:

Truncated.......2007-02-19

I have only one objection to this album. She sings only 2 choruses of "To Keep My Love Alive" while the orchestra keeps playing the music over and over. A lyric like that, and they play just the music! There was plenty of time to put the whole lyric in. "If I Were You" (an imitated idea, most notably to my mind by Adams & Strouse in "All American") is a knock-out, and on this one she sings both verses (there is only one chorus). Highly recommended (if you can find it) anyway. "To Keep..." can be heard in it's entirety on other recordings, like on the revival cast recording of "Connecticut Yankee" by Vivienne Segal (on 2 releases!). Now if someone would just record the complete lyrics of "Mt. Greenery" and "Manhattan" - for a change!

a hidden classic.......2006-10-07

Von Stade is in very fine voice on this CD, and her rendition of "My Funny Valentine" is one of the best ever, with a rich, expressive delivery. Her voice has sometimes been considered too operatic for pop material but on this she's just right. Other standouts are "Moon Of My Delight" and the playful "To Keep My Love Alive" but the whole album is solid.

Wonderful record.......2002-11-11

A wonderful record !! Mrs. Von Stade's voice is perfect. I also raccomend this recond because all the arrengments are recreations from the original shows.

exquisite album.......2000-11-10

Contained in this CD are some of the most beautiful versions of the great timeless songs of Rogers and Hart. Coductor John McGlinn's orchestrations are flawless, as are Frederica's vocals. My favorites are 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was', 'My Funny Valentine', 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered', 'Atlantic Blues' and 'A Ship Without a Sail'. Every song is well done and everyone I have turned on to this album loves it.

Average customer rating: Problematic recording, so order with care. Good---and it gets better! Little Girl Blue Captured Live In New York City Chasing Natalie Cole Fabulous album, especially for summertime listening

Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues Diana Ross Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Motown | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lady Sings The Blues (1972 Film) Blue Lady Sings the Blues To Love Again Lady Sings the Blues, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0000639AA Release Date: 2002-03-19

Tracks:

1. Fine And Mellow
2. Them There Eyes
3. Don't Explain
4. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
5. Mean To Me
6. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)
7. Gimme A Pigfoot (And A Bottle Of Beer)
8. Little Girl Blue
9. There's A Small Hotel
10. I Cried For You
11. The Man I Love
12. God Bless The Child
13. Love Is Here To Stay
14. You've Cried
15. Strange Fruit
16. Good Morning Heartache
17. Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do
18. My Man
19. Fine And Mellow (Reprise)

Customer Reviews:

Problematic recording, so order with care........2007-03-16

I rated the recent Ross release "Blue" five stars, on the strength of the deeply felt, dead-on Billie Holiday-haunted readings of songs like "But Beautiful" and "Easy Living." Some of the same qualities are in evidence on this recording, which suffers from some programming miscalculations and production problems or mis-judgments. Using "Fine and Mellow" as a flag-waver, first as an opener, then as a finale reprise, is just plain, well, ridiculous. Billie Holiday sang few 12-bar blues songs, and "Fine and Mellow" was always delivered effortlessly, intimately, and "naturally"--like the flowering of a gardenia. Whoever selected the song for its present position in the program and moreover encouraged Diana to adopt a "blues-belting" form of elocution ("Gimme a Pigfoot" is another example) must have been born yesterday.

The former R&B diva reveals her strengths on the ballads, all of them, with the exception of the two R&H tunes, right out of Lady Day's prime-time repertoire. Moreover, not only is she accompanied by the A Team, but she generously recognizes the contribution of each soloist--Roy Hargrove, Ralph Moore, Urbie Green, Jon Faddis.

I ordered this CD on the strength of "Blue," but it appears not to be a remastered edition. If the latest edition somehow managed to give more "presence" to Diana's voice (she sounds like she's singing in Madison Square Garden to a listener in the nose-bleed seats), and if some of the audience noise was reduced or eliminated (especially when the outbursts seem to bear no relation to what is heard and are intrusive on a song's meaning), then this disk rates 4 stars.

Lesson: Order with care (mine was even a brand new, sealed copy), and don't order this one ahead of "Blue."

One last quibble: Where in the world did the title "Stolen Moments" come from? To any knowledgeable listener it's the title of Oliver Nelson's classic jazz standard. But since the song doesn't appear on the program, the title (one of three on the album cover) appears to be another fumble by a clueless team with too many players on the field.

Good---and it gets better!.......2004-05-31

Diana takes on Billie Holidays's works in this live set, and she acquits herself well. The audience seems particularly receptive, Diana sounds like she's having a good time and the results are pleasant. But then, after Ross does "God Bless the Child," soon followed by "Strange Fruit," done virtually accapella, the mood changes and, suddenly, things become absolutely superb. She starts to dig deep into the songs, she swings more, and the set becomes touching, beautiful and moving. There is a little too much echo on Ross's voice, but the band sounds great and there is a delightful short solo by Ron Carter, to boot. This is a heck of a collection.

Little Girl Blue Captured Live In New York City.......2003-11-16

"Diana Ross is a fine singer. All you have to do is listen to her Billie Holiday stuff! It's marvellous!" (Marvin Gaye).
With time - two decades after the film - these songs have matured wonderfully in Diana's voice and touching reading. The concept is like good wine - it just gets better with time.
She is still the greatest and most prominent performer of Holiday's songs and the Lady Sings the Blues segment remains an emotionally and artistic highlight in any concert she does. However, this is a rare chance to hear all the songs performed and recorded exclusively in a one-night-only concert at The Reds nightclub in New York City. The songs are really comfortable in N.Y. and they are certainly comfortable with Miss Ross and her great band. This is a fine and very wholesome CD - highly recommanded to any fan of Diana Ross and Jazz/Blues/Standards.

Chasing Natalie Cole.......2002-08-21

I waited until 2002 to pick this up because I guessed Ms. Ross was jealous of Natalie Cole's Grammy winning jazz performanc. (I have the remastered version) However, I could tell Ms. Ross really enjoyed doing this live performance and I give it 5 stars because the technical recording is stellar. Otherwise Ross brings a delightfully dainty mood to these selected Billy Holliday tunes. Curiously the CD follows Holliday history. The arrangements are oddly melodic as if they took on Ross'light approach to each song. It took a lot of nerve to push up on "Strange Fruit" with little to no initial acompaniment, but she pulls it off with grace and magnificence; and, I agree Ross is not Billie (who is???) but she is definitely the Boss. This musical project was very well done with Roy Hargrove et al in her band blazing away. I think the arranger, Gil Askey, and the engineers deserve much credit because this is a splendid effort. You may not like Diana Ross but denying her talent as a singer (this was really beautiful) and, and, and as a producer will no longer sit with me without an argument. Being an avant garde jazz fan that last line sounds strange, even to me!!!

Fabulous album, especially for summertime listening.......2002-07-15

Let me start by saying that I have never been a Diana Ross fan. In her days with the Supremes she often sang flat, and her 1972 "Lady Sings the Blues" film was a disaster in attempting jazz style. Yet in this 1992 live recording, she almost makes up for that earlier faux pas completely. To quote Jim Ignatowski from "Taxi," she "musta took lessons!" Her voice here rides the beat in a beautiful, relaxed, velveteen manner; her phrasing is flawless and her back-up band equally relaxed and in the groove (though trumpeter Jon Faddis seems bent on showing off his chops, not following her moods very well). Most of the all-star jazz musicians who back her, including Roy Hargrove and Urbie Green, sound fabulous, the layout and pacing of the concert is superb, and Ross delivers what I feel is the performance of her lifetime. Granted, she still sounds a little shallow singing "Strange Fruit" next to Billie, but what the heck. Long before this set is over you will be caught up in the mood of the evening and swaying along with her relaxed, on-the-mark singing. This is one for the ages.

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