Holiday Jazz

Track Listings
 
1. Linus and Lucy
2. Frosty the Snowman
3. Sleighride
4. Here Comes Santa Claus
5. Santa Baby
6. Christmas Time Is Here
7. O' Tannenbaum
8. Holly Jolly Christmas
9. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
10. Christmas Song
11. Toyland
12. Skaters Waltz

Holiday Jazz,Michael Allen Harrison,Mah Records,Christmas / Chanukkah,Pop,Solo Instrumental,Xmas Vocal

Holiday Jazz

Holiday Jazz
Remixed & Reimagined
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Remixed & Reimagined
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Sony Legacy
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000NA283Y
    Release Date: 2007-08-07

    Tracks:

    1. I Hear Music (Swingsett & Takuya's Mighty Fine Remix)
    2. More Than You Know (Jazzeem's Throwback Remix)
    3. Spreadin' Rhythm Around (Lady Bug vs. Lady Day RR Remix)
    4. Long Gone Blues (GXR Remix)
    5. Trav'lin' All Alone (Nickodemus & Zeb Remix)
    6. He Ain't Got Rhythm (Poppyseed Remix)
    7. Summertime (Organica Remix)
    8. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away The Key) (Madison Park Remix)
    9. Glad To Be Unhappy (DJ Logic Remix)
    10. Billie's Blues (Daniel Y Remix)
    11. You're So Desirable (Sunday People Remix)
    12. Pennies From Heaven (Count De Money Remix)
    13. But Beautiful (Tony Humphries THP Remix)
    14. All Of Me (Charles Feelgood Remix)
    Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Absolutely the best of Billie Holiday
    • Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
    • The tragedy of a lonely woman!
    • Billie's Best - Accept No Substitutes
    • A serious and great artist's best work, you need these sides
    		 Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Sony
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B00005Q45Y
    Release Date: 2001-10-02

    Tracks:

    1. What A Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday
    2. These Foolish Things - Billie Holiday
    3. I Cried For You - Billie Holiday
    4. Summertime - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    5. Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    6. If You Were Mine - Billie Holiday
    7. A Fine Romance - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    8. Easy To Love - Billie Holiday
    9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    10. I Must Have That Man - Billie Holiday
    11. Me, Myself And I - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    12. They Can't Take Away From Me - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    13. Easy Living - Billie Holiday
    14. A Sailboat In The Moonlight - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    15. Travelin' All Alone - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    16. When A Woman Loves A Man - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    17. You Go To My Head - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    18. My Man - Billie Holiday

    Tracks:

    1. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me - Billie Holiday
    2. The Very Thought Of You - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    3. I Can't Get Started - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    4. Long Gone Blues - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    5. Sugar - Billie Holiday
    6. Some Other Spring - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    7. Them There Eyes - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    8. The Man I Love - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    9. Body And Soul - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    10. Swing, Brothers, Swing - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    11. Night And Day - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    12. Let's Do It - Billie Holiday
    13. God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    14. Solitude - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    15. I Cover The Waterfront - Billie Holiday
    16. Gloomy Sunday - Billie Holiday
    17. Until The Real Thing Comes Along - Billie Holiday
    18. All Of Me - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra

    Album Description

    Lady Day: The Best Of Billie Holiday is an ideal introduction to the Voice of Jazz in all its enduring glory. This incomparable collection draws on the 10-CD boxed set Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944) (CXK 85470), representing not only her finest work, but American jazz and pop singing at its zenith. Accompanied sublimely by a Who's Who of the Swing Era (including her soulmate Lester Young, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Jo Jones, and pianist-arranger Teddy Wilson, who was often at the helm when Holiday entered the studio), Billie Holiday masterfully renders a host of mostly-classic pop tunes. Fans are drawn to her musical triumphs and personal tragedies. She is a mysterious icon in the same vein as Miles Davis. Columbia possesses the first and finest recordings of her entire career! This material has never sounded clearer and more intimate!

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Absolutely the best of Billie Holiday.......2007-02-24

    Anybody who likes Billie Holiday even part time needs this CD. Even great for those people who only know a few songs just by chance. Love the CD. Even got another as a gift for a friend.

    5 out of 5 stars Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday.......2007-01-10

    Bought this for my granddaughter. She's a Billie Holiday fan. She loved the CD.

    5 out of 5 stars The tragedy of a lonely woman!.......2006-11-21

    The stature of this emblematic singer of the jazz is absolutely undeniable. Her powerful, sensitive and expressive voice made of her, one of the most tragic icons in the jazz. She sung as she lived. In this sense she reminds too much to the legendary Edith Piaff in the other side of the Atlantic.

    What else might I add for cataloguing this cult artist that it has not been said just before? She is part of the history jazz and her memory will transcend and surmount the next years to come.

    5 out of 5 stars Billie's Best - Accept No Substitutes.......2006-06-12

    Billie Holiday is the quintessential jazz singer; despite a limited vocal range she set the standard by which all others are measured. It's all about the quality of her voice, the lush tone, and her marvelously idiosyncratic phrasing. Though her career was short and troubled, she recorded a lot, which means novice collectors must avoid innumerable bear traps. In general, her later work should be ignored, by then she was wearing her emotional problems like an ugly hat, despair manifested itself in performances so lackluster they're depressing at best, frequently downright tragic.

    For the best of Billie you need to go back to the glory days, 1933-1944, precisely the time period covered by this reasonably priced and beautifully produced 2-CD set. (If you're a player with money to burn go for the 10-CD comprehensive retrospective, The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944.) All the songs providing the foundation of her reputation are here, as well as many pleasant surprises. The booklet, though not lavish, provides photos, background, and a complete list of personnel for each track. This detail is significant because the players on these selections, in addition to being the finest who ever backed Ms. Holiday, were also the absolute elite of their generation, each worthy of individual exploration. (Names like Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, and Teddy Wilson enjoy legendary status.)

    Perhaps most amazing is the sound quality, considering the recordings are WWII vintage they're clear and smooth. About Ms. Holiday's personal life, the less said the better. What is remarkable is that, despite her personal troubles, she managed to create a canon of work that is truly timeless, just as sweet and powerful today as it was then. Not only is this the best Billie Holiday anthology available, it makes a formidable addition any jazz collection. (Dig that cover photo, wow!)

    5 out of 5 stars A serious and great artist's best work, you need these sides.......2005-03-11

    If there were some way to award music 200 stars, I am sure all of us would have done so for this set!

    Like others here, I have it all, but I think her work from the 30s and early 1940s from Columbia and its ancestors is not just her greatest works, but among the great works of world musical culture. Everyone with a set of ears should be more or less required to have this music and enjoy it.

    Strange Fruit was not recorded for Columbia but for the Indy label Commodore. Thus, you will not find it on this or any of the Columbia collections like this that capture her work in the period BEFORE Strange Fruit. It was recorded in the 1940s, whereas this collection contains work from Billie in the 1930s and perhaps 1940 and 1941. No doubt Sony wishes it had the rights to that side and everything else Commodore recorded, but they don't.

    The truth is, Strange Fruit is not one of Billie's Greatest works. There are about 15 tunes on this CD that have better singing, better musicians backing her, and were more important pieces of Billie's work. Strange Fruit is well known to the people who know about Billie as a person, but don't know much about Billie as a Jazz musician. Her recording, while powerful, was not very nuanced, not very jazzy, and not as good as much of the work here. Indeed, the weakness of her mid-1940s Commodore work as opposed to these recordings is that Billie was persuaded to move away from Jazz and swing to attempt to become a cabarat chanteuse of "serious" songs, a move that some also relate to the inception of heroin and the decline of her voice, a move that brought about a decline in her art.

    If you want to hear a better version of "Strange Fruit," listen to Josh White's recording which is so much more powerful, if not as well known. I am not downing the song or its politics, far from it, but Billie's Strange Fruit is more important as a political statement than as a work of Jazz art.

    One of the greatest things about these records are the many master musicians of swing and jazz that join her on these recordings. Very shortly after she started recording, the greatest names in Jazz would flock to her sessions and play on her recordings for litte because of the innovation and creativity Billie showed as a jazz creator in her own right. These recordings were a chance for them to jam together in loose arrangements and be more innovative and creative than they were with the orchestras they played with.


    These masters of Jazz viewed Billie as a serious artist of Jazz. They delighted in her knowledge of the musical aspects of swing jazz which was unique for such a young singer (she was in her twenties when these records were made) and delighted in her ability to sense what they were doing in their accompaniments and solos and to respond to them in her vocals.

    Despite the exaggerated picture of her life as a prostitute that was part of the marketing of the 1950's work of ghost-written fiction called "Lady Sings the Blues," that a drug addled Billie claimed was her autobiography, Billie Holiday grew up around Jazz with her father being a big band guitar player who complained Billie hired every NY guitarist but him for these sessions. Billie's mother specialized in boarding Jazz musicians and catering parties for musicians and singers, parties where the young Billie would often help serve the food. So when she met Lester young in 1937 for these sessions, she had already known the man she named 'Prez in 1934 when he boarded with her mother while he was in the Fletcher Henderson band.

    These sides contain most of the great collaboration between Lester Young and Billie. They were great musical friends and personal friends until Billie became a heroin addict, at which point Lester didn't much want to be around her.

    However, as much as I am a Lester Young man to the death (his framed picture hangs in my home), too little is said of the other musicians who grace these recordings. Billie's collaboration with pianist Teddy Wilson who plays on and directed most of these recordings (many were recorded as Teddy Wilson Orchestra sides)needs to be explored. Likewise, her work with the great bassists and rhythm players on these records needs to be appreciated. My favorite sides are the ones in which she has the benefit of Basieites like her dear friend Freddy Green on guitar and the great Walter Page on bass. Likewise, Billie's musical closeness with the great Buck Clayton and his role on these sides is also underestimated.

    Yet, it doesn't matter if Billie had recorded these sides with some high school band members from Winslow, Arizona. This is good music to listen to, good music to smile to, music to fall in love to, and music to dance too. Contrary to the tendency to get maudlin and milk her image as a tragedy that Holiday developed in the 1950s as her life and her musical skill declined , even the songs on these recordings with the sadest lyrics possess a great joy, swing, and spirit of the wonders of Jazz.
    A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A Must-Have Classic
    • You wanna hear some great Jazz music?
    • GREAT SELLER
    • Excellent! A must have!
    • A Charlie Brown Christmas
    		 A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
    Vince Guaraldi Trio
    Manufacturer: Fantasy
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000000XDJ
    Release Date: 2000-09-19

    Tracks:

    1. O Tannenbaum
    2. What Child Is This
    3. My Little Drum
    4. Linus And Lucy
    5. Christmas Time Is Here ( Instrumental)
    6. Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal)
    7. Skating
    8. Hark The Herald Angel Sings
    9. Christmas Is Coming
    10. Fur Elise
    11. The Christmas Song
    12. Greensleeves

    Amazon.com

    The first time you listen to this disc you will undoubtedly be transported directly back to your childhood. Charles Schulz's Peanuts characters will go toe-tapping and funky-dancing through your mind's eye. Play it a few more times, though (ignoring the dialogue snippets, if you can), and you will begin to truly revel in Guaraldi's wonderful, humorous, deep piano playing. You'll hear why he's such an influence on new age ivory tickler George Winston, but you'll also realize that Winston's holiday music never quite sparkles with the underlying passion, and humor, that twinkles in these grooves. Buy it for the nostalgia--keep it because it will remain one of the most enchanting albums in your holiday collection. --Michael Ruby

    Album Description

    Original soundtrack recording of the CBS television special recorded in 1965, tracks include 'O Tannenbaum', 'What Child Is This', 'My Little Drum', 'Linus and Lucy', 'Christmas Time Is Here' (instrumental), 'Christmas Time Is Here' (vocal), 'Skating', 'Hark, The Herald Angels Sing', 'Christmas Is Coming', 'Fur Elise', 'The Christmas Song' & 'Greensleeves'. Fantasy Records. 1988.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Classic.......2007-03-09

    Great CD!!! It brought back good memories. A must-have for any lover of Christmas music, the Peanuts gang, or jazz.

    5 out of 5 stars You wanna hear some great Jazz music?.......2007-03-09

    I recently purchased this CD and I was blown away by it. I am a big fan of Vince Guaraldi and his music always makes me feel great. The sound on the CD is great (no distortion at all). I would whole heartily recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys light Jazz!

    5 out of 5 stars GREAT SELLER.......2007-02-07

    Would recommend this seller to others. Fast shipment and product as described. Thank you much!

    5 out of 5 stars Excellent! A must have!.......2007-01-29

    This compilation of Peanuts tunes by the Vince Guaraldi Trio is outstanding. Everytime I play this, I can see all the Peanuts characters in my mind. It is fun to listen to at anytime of the year, and really brings back memories of my youth and watching Charlie Brown during the holidays. Guaraldi and company show their expert musicianship skills on these snazzy jazzy tunes.The holiday season isn't complete without this collection!

    5 out of 5 stars A Charlie Brown Christmas.......2007-01-27

    The perfect background music for the Christmas season. It has a quality that brings back the memory of the joy of Christmas times past. I can play it multiple times and still want to hear it again.
    Love Songs
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Classic!
    • WOW!!
    • Great Collection of Billie Holiday Songs
    • Oh, Billie! HOW DIVINE !!!
    • Fine CD
    		 Love Songs
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Sony
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000002ACT
    Release Date: 1996-03-12

    Tracks:

    1. All Of Me
    2. You Go To My Head
    3. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
    4. My Man
    5. The Very Thought Of You
    6. Easy Living
    7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
    8. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
    9. Them There Eyes
    10. Night And Day
    11. The Man I Love
    12. Me, Myself And I
    13. The Way You Look Together
    14. If You Were Mine
    15. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
    16. Let's Do It

    Amazon.com essential recording

    Culled from the Columbia Records reissue packages, variously released under the multivolume Quintessential Billie Holiday umbrella, this package goes straight for the love songs, the heart of Holiday. Ranging from such playful lyrics as "Let's Do It" and "Them There Eyes" to such essential Holiday as "You Go to My Head," "The Very Thought of You," and "Easy Living," this set is guaranteed to keep the home fires burning brightly. Lay this one on your lover next Valentine's Day. As was so frequently the case with Holiday, the ensemble support is impeccable, including many of the swingers from Columbia's Greatest Hits package. The bonus here is Count Basie on piano, leading his swinging big band on "They Can't Take That Away from Me." --Willard Jenkins

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Classic!.......2007-01-11

    Anybody who loves jazz and the blues cannot be without this Billie Holiday CD. I love it. I can listen to it all day. It's a pleasure to hear great jazz and such an incredible voice.

    5 out of 5 stars WOW!!.......2006-11-09

    This cd was the first Billie Holiday I ever purchased. WOW! She is the greatest, bar none! EVERY serious lover of music needs this work to add to their collection. I had no idea how special she was and how timeless her work. I am a fan for life.

    5 out of 5 stars Great Collection of Billie Holiday Songs.......2006-10-06

    There are so many fabulous reviews for this CD and I have to agree with them. I've been a Billie Holiday fan for years and own many discs of her music, but I find myself reaching for this one a lot. It's a great collection of songs and her voice is so sweet and true here. She's in top form and the arrangements on the songs are all excellent. Whoever put this CD together knew what they were doing. This is definitely Billie during the earlier part of her career and there's a real lightness to this music. (Her later music is great too, but very different.) Most of the songs on this CD are classics and even if you're unfamiliar with her, you'll probably still recognize many of them. There is some crackling background noise on some of the songs, since they were recorded back in the late thirties/early forties, though it's not that bad and most of the time you barely notice it. Some of the stand outs are "You Go To My Head", "The Very Thought of You", "Let's Do It", "The Way You Look Tonight", just to name a few. I think this would be a great introductory CD for someone who is curious about her and would like to hear some of her music.

    5 out of 5 stars Oh, Billie! HOW DIVINE !!!.......2006-08-25

    This CD is an excellent collection of great songs performed by the incomparable and legendary Billie Holiday. Billie could conquer any song--from the most vulgar to the most sublime with an electric performance that rivals the best singers of the 20th century.

    The CD begins so beautifully with Billie singing "All Of Me" and continues on into "You Go To My Head" by Gillespie and Coots. As with the rest of the songs on this CD, there is some background surface noise as these recordings by Billie were made in the 1930s and the very early 1940s. Nevertheless, there is a certain romantic style to each recording that leaves the listener wanting more after every track.

    There songs on this CD are truly timeless; Billie sings such standards as "You Go To My Head," "The Man I Love," "Let's Do It," "The Way You Look Tonight" and "The Very Thought Of You." Don't play this CD for the first time without having time to relax and enjoy it with a glass of your favorite wine--you'll want to listen to it again after you've played it through because it's that beautiful and special.

    The liner notes include an essay by Delfeayo Marsalis, the song credits and the dates Billie recorded them, a beautiful black and white photograph of Billie singing at the microphone on stage and the lyrics to "You Go To My Head" and "Easy Living."

    I highly recommend this CD for fans of Billie Holiday, classic vocals and the standards of the entire 20th century. Although it is only one CD, it still is a very good representation of Billie's talent. It makes a great starter CD for people who want to find out more about Billie before they purchase box sets, too. A terrific experience to be enjoyed! SMILE

    5 out of 5 stars Fine CD.......2006-04-28

    This CD is a beautiful selection of classic Holiday. I really enjoy Holiday's voice. It is so natural and simple. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.
    December
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Soothing, moving, delightful!
    • Great sound!!
    • A Welcoming Journey Through the Holiday Season
    • A Jazzy Christmas Album
    • Smooth Jazz
    		 December
    Chris Botti
    Manufacturer: Columbia
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000I0QKD8
    Release Date: 2006-10-10

    Tracks:

    1. The Christmas Song
    2. Ave Maria
    3. Winter Wonderland
    4. The First Noel
    5. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
    6. Hallelujah
    7. I Really Don't Want Much For Christmas
    8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
    9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
    10. Silent Night
    11. Little Drummer Boy
    12. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
    13. I'll Be Home For Christmas

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Soothing, moving, delightful!.......2007-06-26

    I am not the trumpet enthusiast my husband is, so when I requested this CD to please his palate, I was dubious about how much I would enjoy adding it to the holiday CD rotation. It is fabulous! It feels both fresh and familiar at the same time, soothing, yet festive. Particularly impressive is the beautiful arrangement of Ave Maria. A wonderful, (for the most part) instrumental holiday collection I would recommend to all - no jazz experience required!

    5 out of 5 stars Great sound!!.......2007-01-12

    This cd is a must if you like holiday music and Chris Botti's sound. Have seen Mr. Botti a couple of times in concert. His music live and on cd are both wonderful. Encourage anyone who enjoys jazz to purchase this cd and others from Mr. Botti. You will be glad you did.

    5 out of 5 stars A Welcoming Journey Through the Holiday Season.......2007-01-11

    Chris Botti's music for the holiday season delivers with the essence of peace, love and a level of spirituality so welcome at a time when, try as we might, chaos seems to reign in our lives. It's the middle of January and I am still listening to this inspiring CD. BRAVO.

    4 out of 5 stars A Jazzy Christmas Album.......2007-01-10

    Finally a Christmas album that doesn't make me sick with the syrupy sweet, tired lyrics. I've heard it said that as entertainers achieve fame, they are compelled to do a Christmas album. Please make them stop! Chris Botti has a winner here and is a nice, jazzy take on the standards that is best enjoyed with a nice glass of Shiraz.

    5 out of 5 stars Smooth Jazz.......2007-01-03

    Botti phrases like an accomplished singer. The melodies are mellow and sound effortless. Relaxing, romantic and beautiful. I've listened to it over and over.
    Christmas Songs
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Christmas Songs
    • YeeHaa. Merry Christmas.
    • If you like Diana Krall you'll probably hate this review.
    • Have Diana Krall over for the holidays.
    • Christmas Songs/Diana Krall
    		 Christmas Songs
    Diana Krall , and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
    Manufacturer: Verve
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000B7BRMM
    Release Date: 2005-11-01

    Tracks:

    1. Jingle Bells
    2. Let It Snow
    3. The Christmas Song
    4. Winter Wonderland
    5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
    6. Christmas Time Is Here
    7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
    8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
    9. White Christmas
    10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
    11. Sleigh Ride
    12. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep

    Amazon.com

    As the song goes, "Merry Christmas" has already "been said many times, many ways." Diana Krall's Christmas Songs is a worthy--though not particularly unique--addition to the holiday catalog. On it, she excels with an approach mastered long ago: elegant delivery that gives extra polish to a very familiar lineup. Some might find her style frosty at times, but that will come as a relief to those who want their carolers to cut through some of the holiday treacle and create a festive, yet grown-up vibe. And Krall does show off her playful side with little, personal touches. In "Winter Wonderland" she promises to "frolic and play the Canadian way," which should draw smiles from her native land. (That'll mean toasting the holiday with Molson, eh?) Elsewhere, she ends "Jingle Bells" with the girlishly giddy statement, "I'm just crazy about horses." Well…can't argue with that. --Leah Weathersby

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Christmas Songs.......2007-05-13

    The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.

    5 out of 5 stars YeeHaa. Merry Christmas........2007-02-22

    Hot babe. Good Jazz.

    Helluva voice.

    Nice take on some well-worn standards.

    This and the Vince Guarldi Charlie Brown Christmas album are the only two Christmas albums that should be given to everybody who ever bought a CD player, Ipod, whatever.

    Nice dress.

    Elvis Costello (Mr. Diana Krall) better thank God every day.

    I proudly listen to this album at non-Christmas times of the year, by the way. When it plays at work, someone almost always stops and says "Who is THAT?"; never "Why are you listening to Christmas music in June?". That's the power of the voice and arrangements we're dealing with, here.

    Thank you for coming into my life, if only as a beautiful voice. And what a voice!

    2 out of 5 stars If you like Diana Krall you'll probably hate this review........2007-01-26

    I love Diana Krall's voice, style, the music she chooses to record, and the polish of her music. I have all her CDs and they're great. So, when I got this CD at Christmas 2005 I was really disappointed. Look, it's OK, I guess, but not up to her usual standards. There's no enthusiasm here (except for the false enthusiasm of her fingernail-on-chalkboard tittering "I'm just crazy 'bout hooorses").

    Rather than write it off as just average I decided to give it a whirl again for Christmas '06, and had the same reaction. Guys might like this CD for her recumbent "come hither and unwrap THIS present" look and posture on the CD packaging, but there's little to come hither for inside.

    5 out of 5 stars Have Diana Krall over for the holidays. .......2007-01-21

    If your into Diana Krall and your into Christmas, Then this CD is a MUST! It's everything you want in your Jazz Christmas collection.

    4 out of 5 stars Christmas Songs/Diana Krall.......2007-01-19

    Good CD -- only thing I didn't care for was "scat" on a couple of songs --
    Billie Holiday - Greatest Hits (Sony)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Biilie's phrasing was a heart-to-heart with the whole world--and no one ever wanted to go home
    • Beautiful
    • Fave Jazz Album!
    • Early greats from Lady Day
    • A great place to start, an album with a special treat!
    		 Billie Holiday - Greatest Hits (Sony)
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Sony
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Love Songs
    2. Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald
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    4. Billie, Ella, Lena, Sarah
    5. At Last!

    ASIN: B00000FC7M
    Release Date: 1998-11-17

    Tracks:

    1. Miss Brown To You - Billie Holiday
    2. What A Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday
    3. I Cried For You - Billie Holiday
    4. Billie's Blues (I Love My Man) - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    5. A Sailboat In The Moonlight - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    6. I Can't Get Started - Billie Holiday
    7. When A Woman Loves A Man - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    8. Some Other Spring - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    9. Solitude - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    10. God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    11. Gloomy Sunday - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    12. The Very Thought Of You - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
    13. Body And Soul - Billie Holiday

    Amazon.com essential recording

    Curiously, yet not surprisingly given the enormity of his sway, Billie Holiday's greatest vocal influence was "Pops"--Louis Armstrong, whose trumpet was his first signature (though he's often credited with being the first great jazz singer as well). One hears Armstrong in Holiday's sense of phrasing, timing, and the warmth she invests in a lyric. This package, containing such touchstone Holiday renderings as "I Cried for You," "Body and Soul," and "When a Woman Loves a Man" (poetic, given the fact that Billie was notoriously unlucky at love), also boasts her signature song, "God Bless the Child." Her accompanists are a hall-of-fame lot, including trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Buck Clayton; saxmen Lester Young (with whom she had a close relationship), Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, and Harry Carney; drummers Cozy Cole and Jo Jones; bassists John Kirby and Walter Page; and her frequent pianist, Teddy Wilson. --Willard Jenkins

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Biilie's phrasing was a heart-to-heart with the whole world--and no one ever wanted to go home.......2007-07-08

    Billie Holiday could sing jazz and the blues unlike any other singer. Ever. Her voice was the ultimate instrument which could convey all the sorrows of her personal life as she sang about life, love and the pain of being discriminated against because she was African-American. We will never see another quite like Billie; this CD of thirteen of Billie's greatest hits from Sony doesn't even begin to scrape the surface of what this remarkably talented lady could do.

    The CD track set begins with a number that's actually sassy as well as jazzy; Billie sings of how Emily Brown's "comin' to town;" but it's "Miss Brown to you." Listen for Benny Goodman on clarinet and Roy Eldridge on trumpet. Teddy Wilson does a great job on piano, too. Even though Billie was only 20 when this was recorded, she was already working with the best!

    "What A Little Moonlight Can Do" gets a breakneck pace and a jazzy interpretation that would make any jazz artist green with envy. Billie's voice is light and clear as a bell; yet she imparts all the right emotions to her audience. Once again, Billie recorded this with The Teddy Wilson Orchestra. Teddy plays piano; Benny Goodman plays clarinet and Roy Eldridge plays trumpet. And ooh, how they jam!

    "I Cried For You" gives Billie the chance to sing of how she cried for a man who left her--but she no longer cares for him and she won't waste one minute more worrying about that loser. The musicians work wonders before Billie even comes in; but when Billie comes in the number soars and Billie takes flight! Billie imparts the sense of all the pain in her past and how she's happy to have found a new man who loves her more. Teddy Wilson again plays piano; and listen for Harry Carney on both the clarinet and the baritone saxophone. Excellent!

    "Billie's Blues" stuns you with its sublime treatment of the blues; Billie wrote this number and Artie Shaw himself plays clarinet! Billie sings about how her man treats her so poorly; and you believe every word she sings--she's THAT good at sharing her feelings from the depths of her soul.

    "I Can't Get Started" is a number recorded live when Billie performed at The Meadowbrook Ballroom in Cedar Grove, New Jersey with Count Basie & His Orchestra. Despite the passage of time and the surface noise on this track, I distinctly feel everything Billie put into this song. Billie was unlucky in love and the pain of this problem helps her to deliver "I Can't Get Started" as if the lyrics were a intimate, personal and very private confession to you from the bottom of her heart. Wow.

    "God Bless The Child" was one of Billie's most famous signature songs; and she delivers this with all her might. Billie sings so well because she truly means every word of the lyrics. This is not just another chanteuse singing a ballad; this is Billie Holiday once again sharing her most intimate feelings with her audience. Roy Eldridge plays trumpet and I predict you will enjoy this number very, very much.

    "Gloomy Sunday" became associated with many a suicide; anyone deep in despair and hopelessness can identify with "Gloomy Sunday." Billie sings this so well because of the countless times she experienced these very emotions in her private life. "The Very Thought Of You" swings ever so slightly to infuse this ballad with just the right amount of energy and romantic effect. Billie's excellent diction, coupled with her light and clear voice, lets her perform "The Very Thought Of You" with twice the panache that any other singer could ever have infused into it.

    The CD track set ends with the classic "Body And Soul." Billie sings of how she wants a man who doesn't love her in return. Billie sings from the bottom of her heart as she draws upon her personal pain from unrequited love. As always, Billie's delivery is flawless.

    The liner notes include an informative essay by Timme Rosenkrantz; and the black and white pictures of Holiday are very tastefully arranged. The song credits and recording dates are there for you, too.

    We will never again see another Billie Holiday. During her all too brief life she gave us more than most entertainers and "celebrities" do in a full lifetime. We are so much richer for Billie sharing her endless talents with us; and fortunately we can continue to experience her talents on CD for ages to come.

    5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2007-01-22

    Billie Holiday is an amazing artist and I am proud to have her CD.

    5 out of 5 stars Fave Jazz Album!.......2005-05-27

    Every tune is fab! Thankfully, the remastering has not diminished the old scratchy sound typically found in recordings from this era.

    This is why I hate most modern jazz. This has genuine feeling, a raw sound, natural flow, and catchy licks--things lacking these days, IMO.

    Pick this up if you are not a huge jazz collector, but just wish to add something worthwile to your otherwise ecclectic collection of music.

    4 out of 5 stars Early greats from Lady Day.......2005-04-30

    I heard this CD while I was walking around Borders and just had to have it. These are early recordings - the music is fresh and joyous - the vocals are superb. I especially love the recordings of "Miss Brown To You," "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" (a treat), "Some Other Spring" and my very favorite, "I Can't Get Started." I have other Holiday recordings. However, this is the one I play again and again. I only wish that it had "Good Morning Heartache" on it. Oh, well.

    5 out of 5 stars A great place to start, an album with a special treat!.......2005-03-11

    Almost everything Billie Holiday recorded, and maybe everything Billie recorded before 1941, like these sides, was great. Certainly, this collection doesn't have any of the very important work Billie Did during WWII for Commodore, nor does it have some of th exciting Jazzy recordings Billie did for Verve in the late 1940s and 1950s. Nor are any of the outstanding live performances by Billie for Jazz at the Philharmonic or in her Carneige Hall concerts on this CD.

    With Billie who recorded for about 30 years on a lot of labels, the tendency was, particularly back in the days of LPs, for every owner of some Billie material to put out whatever they could crip together as Billie's greatest hits.

    I have to say that I was introduced to Billie's greatest work, that in the 1930s, by owning this collection on Vinyl. This is nice fun and engaging music. On some of the great standards, she really makes it. Like all of her recordings for Columba and its ancestors back then, John Hammond Sr, gathers together some of the masters of Black and white swing Jazz to join her. Very shortly after she started recording, the greatest names in Jazz would flock to her sessions and play on her recordings for litte because of the innovation and creativity Billie showed as a jazz creator in her own right.
    One special treat here is "I can't get started" with the Count Basie Orchestra. Billie was the first female singer with Count Basie's band, but because she was booked to Columbia and the Count had been shanghied by Decca, there were no studio recordings of Billie singing with the Basie Orchestra. This is an enormous loss to human culture. "I can't get started" is one of the two air checks (recordings made off of radio broadcasts) we have of Billie with the Baseities. The other "Swing it Brother Swing" is available on an album with air checks from a Basie broadcast from the Savoy Ballroom.

    I really love the way her singing interplays with the backing particularly from the reed section, and love the sinuous solo Lester takes which is more mellow and romantic than the one he takes in the small group Billie Holiday recording of "I can't get started."

    All of this is nice music. If you are not ready to take the plunge and get everything from the 1930s and early 1940s (to be followed by everything from the 1940s and then most of the stuff from the 1950s) this is as good as any place else to start. Nice fun, wonderful music, great jazz in both her voice and in the way that the sidemen swing in her honor.
    The Ultimate Collection
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A few good songs
    • A Collector's Must Have
    • You want Billie and you get Billie
    • excellent box
    • Great Overview of Her Recording Career
    		 The Ultimate Collection
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
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    5. Love Songs

    ASIN: B0007X9U2Y
    Release Date: 2005-04-05

    Tracks:

    1. Miss Brown to You - Billie Holiday, , Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra
    2. What a Little Moonlight Can Do
    3. I Cried for You
    4. Mean to Me
    5. Strange Fruit
    6. Fine and Mellow
    7. God Bless the Child
    8. Trav'lin' Light - Billie Holiday, , Paul Whiteman Orchestra
    9. My Old Flame
    10. I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)
    11. Billie's Blues
    12. He's Funny That Way
    13. Lover Man
    14. Don't Explain
    15. Good Morning Heartache
    16. No Good Man
    17. Blues Are Brewin'
    18. Solitude
    19. Easy Living
    20. I Loves You Porgy
    21. My Man (Mon Homme)
    22. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do

    Tracks:

    1. Them There Eyes
    2. You Can't Lose a Broken Heart - Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday
    3. You're My Thrill
    4. Crazy He Calls Me
    5. Detour Ahead
    6. These Foolish Things
    7. You Go to My Head
    8. Love Me or Leave Me
    9. Willow Weep for Me
    10. I Thought About You
    11. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
    12. Come Rain or Come Shine
    13. It Had to Be You
    14. What's New?
    15. Lady Sings the Blues
    16. I Cover the Waterfront [Live]
    17. Body and Soul
    18. But Not for Me
    19. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
    20. I'm a Fool to Want You

    Tracks:

    1. Saddest Tale [DVD]
    2. Blues Are Brewin' [DVD] - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra, Billie Holiday
    3. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans [DVD] - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra, Billie Holiday
    4. My Man (Mon Homme) [DVD]
    5. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone [DVD]
    6. Billie's Blues [DVD]
    7. Fine and Mellow [DVD]
    8. What a Little Moonlight Can Do [DVD]
    9. St. Louis Blues [DVD] - Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith
    10. I Cover the Waterfront [DVD]
    11. Swing! Brother, Swing! [DVD Audio]
    12. They Can't Take That Away from Me [DVD Audio]
    13. Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me [DVD Audio] - All Star Jam Band, Billie Holiday
    14. I'll Get By [DVD Audio] - All Star Jam Band, Billie Holiday
    15. I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone [DVD Audio] - Billie Holiday, Red Norvo & His Orchestra
    16. Jeepers Creepers [DVD Audio] - Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rowles
    17. Bonus Materials [DVD][*]

    Amazon.com

    Billie Holiday (1917-59) wore gardenias, was a teenaged prostitute, did drugs, and died with a cop posted outside her hospital bed. But with her gravel-like vocals, and behind-the-beat phrasing, she was one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century. This multimedia collection commemorates her ninetieth birthday. Two CDs contain forty two of her greatest hits, from her 1935 stint with Benny Goodman, to her chilling 1958 strings album, Lady in Satin. It features her signature songs like "Good Morning Heartache," "God Bless the Child," and her unforgettable anti-lynching number "Strange Fruit." The DVD includes film cameos with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, photographs, posters, rehearsals and interviews with friends and musicians, including a rediscovered 1956 radio broadcast with a young Mike Wallace. Her achy artistry is timeless, and as Ashley Kahn wrote in his superb liner notes, "Billie will be there tonight, tomorrow night and a long time to come." --Eugene Holley, Jr.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars A few good songs.......2007-03-27

    There are some good songs on this collection. Overall a good Billie Holiday presentation. Also descent quality.

    5 out of 5 stars A Collector's Must Have.......2007-02-20

    If you are addicted to the music and sound of Lady Day, then you must include this collection in your music porfolio. One can never get too much of Holiday.

    5 out of 5 stars You want Billie and you get Billie.......2006-03-03

    Loved the compilation. Nice mix of tunes and certainly hits som eof her more contreversial works. Nice packaging too, lots of music in a small and neat package.

    5 out of 5 stars excellent box.......2006-02-04

    buy this one at www.yourmusic.com for only 13 dollars, which looks exact the same product as you buy here, but so stupidly cheap!

    5 out of 5 stars Great Overview of Her Recording Career.......2005-11-19

    I agree with many of the others here that this is a great overview of Billie Holiday's recording career. There is not much to add to the comments about this marvelous collection, but I would like to add some observations and other information that Lady Day aficionados may find interesting.

    Just to correct one of the other reviewers, the four Aladdin sides (Detour Ahead, Blue Turning Grey Over You, Be Fair With Me Baby and Rocky Mountain Blues) are all available on a Blue Note CD release titled Billie's Blues, which also includes the Paul Whiteman studio track Trav'lin' Light.

    This collection does not include quite every label that Billie made studio recordings for: I wish they'd thought to include Billie's only recording with Artie Shaw, Any Old Time. It's much harder to track down than any of her other studio sides. Any Old Time is quite a jump for her stylistically, as it is done in a "big band" style that more evokes Glenn Miller, the Dorsey Brothers or, well Artie Shaw. It's available on more than one Artie Shaw CD release, but they are hard to find. I have it on a CD put out by the Jazz Heritage label under the album title "Frenesi".

    One of the interesting inclusions on the Ultimate Collection DVD is a discography that lists virtually every Billie Holiday studio recording and all of her "authorized" live recordings. The only omissions I am aware of are some rare vinyl pressings (more about these later). Of course, there are many, many bootleg live recordings (most of these either very poorly recorded or they are examples of Lady Day at her worst, or both). I'd like to list a few interesting exceptions. In the 70's, TCB records put out a vinyl titled "The One and Only Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues - Collectors Edition". It's mostly poor quality bootlegs, including the songs from the "soundtrack" for the film "New Orleans", but one track I've never found anywhere else is a radio transcript (?) of a live recording of Don't Explain that is absolutely breathtaking. Billie is in amazing voice, and her reading of the song was never more effective. She starts the track by exclaiming "I'd like to sing a song that I wrote; it's titled 'Don't Explain' ..." and then launches right into it, with a full orchestra. The audio quality is exceptional, but the track is marred by a slight "skip" on the first line that seems to have originated with the source material. Vocally, Billie never sounded better; I'd guess it was recorded around 1942. I've been hoping for years that this would pop up on a CD somewhere, but it seems to be the most elusive and rare track I own of her.

    Other rare performances never released on CD include the infamous live set at the Storyville club in Boston, issued on the RIC label and later by Monmouth-Evergreen. This album is not very interesting, as it presents Billie in a poorly recorded setting and, vocally, she was having an off night, but it is of interest to aficionados and those who want to have a complete set of Lady's recordings. I am not aware that it's ever been released on CD.

    Then there are the three albums of "radio and TV broadcasts" issued by ESP Disc on vinyl in the 70's. These were available briefly on CD in a three disc set, but I didn't bother acquiring it; the performances are not very worthwhile, except for a few that are available elsewhere.

    In 1986, Blackhawk Records released a vinyl album of a "recently discovered" complete recital recorded October 5, 1958 at the Monterey Jazz festival. Guest musicians supporting Billie include Gerry Mulligan and Benny Carter (you know they're really there because they are introduced when they join the band halfway through the set). Billie's performance is not half bad, especially considering how late in her life it was recorded. Unfortunately, the best track on the album vocally, Good Morning Heartache, is ruined by the sudden appearance of a prop plane (it was an outdoor festival) coming in for a landing at Monterey airport. The engines drone on for several moments, at one point completely drowning out Billie and the band. Nevertheless, I have tried to find it on CD, and I am hoping that it will be eventually released, as it's especially interesting for it's superb audio quality. Also several of Billie's standards are refreshed by new arrangments, which seem to buoy her performance and make the 11 tracks all the more interesting.

    Finally, in 1958 Columbia records gave a "party" for some of their recording artists at the Edwardian Room at the Plaza Hotel, NYC. Although not intended to be released commercially (the recording quality is marginal), in 1973 Columbia released two vinyl LP's called "Jazz at the Plaza" Volumes I and II. Volume I was the second part of the program, headed by Miles Davis, and Columbia recently released it on CD. Volume II, which has not yet appeared on CD (but I'm hopeful) presented the Duke Ellington Orchestra with special guests. The guest vocalists were Jimmy Rushing and Billie Holiday. Billie does two songs, When Your Lover Has Gone and Don't Explain, accompanied only by Duke Ellington on piano and Buck Clayton on trumpet. What's wonderful about it, aside from the fact that it's the only performance Billie recorded with Duke Ellington since she sang "Saddest Tale" in the 1935 short film Symphony in Black, is that Duke Ellington wrote a "new" piano arrangement for Don't Explain that is absolutely thrilling in it's simplicity and beauty. It's so good, that Billie used it for the rest of her life (there is a TV performance clip of her singing Don't Explain in 1958 with Mal Waldron that essentially uses the same arrangement - see the DVD release The Genius of Lady Day). Although only two tracks, it remains one of my favorite live late recordings of Billie Holiday.

    Until the wonderful day when every single recording and video performance of the great Lady Day is available, the Billie Holiday Ultimate Collection is certainly a good start, and well worth the investment.
    Now That's What I Call Christmas!
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Now thats what i call super
    • perfect christmas cd!
    • Fantastic
    • Great Christmas music
    • Great Seasonal Mix of Songs
    		 Now That's What I Call Christmas!
    Various Artists
    Manufacturer: Utv Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    5. Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas - Holiday Memories

    ASIN: B00005OLYC
    Release Date: 2001-10-23

    Tracks:

    1. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
    2. Bing Crosby - White Christmas
    3. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
    4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Xmas - Frank Sinatra
    5. Winter Wonderland - Tony Bennett
    6. Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
    7. Let It Snow - Dean Martin
    8. Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
    9. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Johnny Mathis
    10. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
    11. Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
    12. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy
    13. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
    14. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
    15. Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
    16. Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
    17. Christmas Collage - Kathy Mattea
    18. Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie/Bing Crosby

    Tracks:

    1. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon
    2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen
    3. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
    4. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
    5. Love Is A Holiday - Michael Bolton
    6. It Must Have Been Old Santa - Harry Connick Jr.
    7. Jingle Bells - Diana Krall
    8. Away In A Manger - Mannheim Steamroller
    9. Deck The Halls - Ottmar Liebert
    10. Love On Layaway - Gloria Estefan
    11. Don't Save It All For Christmas Day - Celine Dion
    12. This Christmas - Joe
    13. Special Gift - Isley Brothers
    14. Christmas In The Yard - Shaggy
    15. My Only Wish (This Year) - Britney Spears
    16. You Don't Have To Be Alone - 'N Sync
    17. O Come All Ye Faithful - Luther Vandross
    18. Silent Night - Boyz II Men

    Amazon.com

    The title doesn't lie, even if it does sounds like a hyperbolic pitch from an old late-night cable TV ad. With 36 tracks of various genres spread over two discs, Now That's What I Call Christmas might be the best, most eclectic "value-plus" holiday record ever released, assuming your tastes embrace crooners such as Cole, Crosby, and Como, plus contemporary boy bands such as Boyz II Men, as well as the ubiquitous Britney Spears.

    In between there are the sumptuous classics by Bobby Helms, Brenda Lee, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and Burl Ives on disc one, balanced on disc two by more recent standards, including Bruce Springsteen's live version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" and John and Yoko's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." You're not obligated to like everything here, but that's why Santa invented the forward button on your CD player. --Martin Keller

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Now thats what i call super.......2007-03-16

    Great collection of songs old and new including hard to find david bowie christmas duet. It is great!

    5 out of 5 stars perfect christmas cd!.......2007-01-20

    I am so happy that I purchased this cd from amazon! It has every christmas song that I could think of and was at a great price. It was shipped super fast and came in perfect condition! Thanks!

    5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2007-01-18

    Hi loved this CD so much that I bought 2 extra for Xmas gifts, and the result........fantastic!
    This is definitely the best Christmas CD ever made.

    Thanks
    Carmen Pucci

    5 out of 5 stars Great Christmas music.......2007-01-18

    Great combination of Christmas classics and contemporary Christmas music. My favorites are the classics though.

    3 out of 5 stars Great Seasonal Mix of Songs.......2007-01-15

    Really only purchased the CD for two songs (Santa Claus is Comin' to Town and Do They Know It's Christmas) and was pleasantly surprised to find some other "keepers" on the disc as well. It was quite a mix of older and newer songs, and a nice addition to my Christmas CD collection.
    20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Billie Holiday
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Simplicity Like A Blow
    • The Definitive Billie Holiday Collection!!!!
    • A relaxing Holiday
    • Skimpy, but well produced
    • good Introduction to the New Billie Holiday Fan
    		 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Billie Holiday
    Billie Holiday
    Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Swing GeneralSwing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Traditional Jazz GeneralTraditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Vocal Jazz GeneralVocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Classic VocalistsClassic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
    CabaretCabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
    Traditional Vocal PopTraditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
    Traditional PopTraditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Etta James (Millennium Collection)
    2. The Best of Ella Fitzgerald - 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection
    3. Love Songs
    4. Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
    5. Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald

    ASIN: B00006AWJC
    Release Date: 2002-07-30

    Tracks:

    1. Strange Fruit
    2. Fine And Mellow
    3. Lover Man
    4. Don't Explain
    5. Good Morning Heartache
    6. T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do
    7. My Man
    8. I Loves You Porgy
    9. Lady Sings The Blues
    10. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
    11. I Cover The Waterfront
    12. God Bless The Child

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Simplicity Like A Blow.......2007-04-23

    This is the very first jazz record I have ever bought or listened to, and I decided to write my review with the first listen still fresh in my mind. It's not that I was avoiding jazz; I was simply never exposed to it. What can I say, I stand before you unmasked as the Philistine that I am! Certainly then it must seem a bit presumptuous of me, a jazz illiterate if ever there was one, to offer any criticism good or bad. But on the other hand, who can give you the more honest reaction: the man who has studied, weighed and evaluated jazz for four decades, or the man whose ignorance precludes the possibility of bias?

    The word 'Diva' gets tossed around a lot these days. It is frequently misapplied to singers like Whitney Houston or Celine Dion, two performers who are unquestionably talented, but not as much as their hype would lead us to believe. Chockingly, it is also used to describe Cher, a woman who this reviewer feels is unfit to Chine Billie's Choes.

    Because Billie...ah, Billie, SHE'S a Diva! This woman's voice is hypnotic, a Lucky Strike soaked in honey and absinthe. The songs are unaffected and powerful in a way only authenticity makes possible; Billie makes you FEEL her songs without resorting to histrionics. I am thoroughly convinced the Lady lived the blues long before she got around to singing 'em. The somewhat sparse musical arrangments are an absolute joy to listen to, and lend themselves incredibly well to Billie's voice. The horns almost seem to lead the listener simply by Suggestion, allowing Billie's voice to take center stage while the instruments mould themselves around her smokey lyrics like cognac poured across the rocks. I am completely smitten by this wonderful singer! Unwind in style with the music of a vanished era!

    5 out of 5 stars The Definitive Billie Holiday Collection!!!! .......2006-03-20

    When I saw this while browsing at my local record store, I had to buy it. It had all the classics in 1 small package. It was an excellent value at only $8.99! Wow!

    This CD (along with many other CDs in the Millennium Collection series) is an excellent value for the new or casual fan of Billie Holiday. It's remastered too so the sound quality is excellent. I loved the CD, especially Don't Explain (my all-time favorite Billie song) and Good Morning Heartache. The CD is WAY better than Ken Burns JAZZ Collection! *Highly recommended!*

    If you liked this one, check out these titles from Billie Holiday:

    This Is Jazz Volume 32: Billie Holiday Sings Standards
    16 Most Requested Songs
    Swing Brother Swing!
    I'll Get By

    I borrowed all of these other CDs from my local library (a great way to expand your digital library of classic jazz for no charge). They were pretty good. But none of these can match 20th Century Masters-Billie Holiday. This is the one Billie Holiday CD I wanted to keep for my own collection. Her voice, her style, her songs are so powerful and beautiful - all of these attributes are wonderfully displayed on this collection. Enjoy!

    12 Tracks 41:05 total time~Hip-O/Verve 24.bit remastering.

    5 out of 5 stars A relaxing Holiday.......2005-09-29

    One of the best. A great collection of her hits. While dining or just chilling, its a must have.

    5 out of 5 stars Skimpy, but well produced.......2002-08-06

    Although not generously packed with tons of material, this is a thoughtfully-programmed selection of Holiday's later, non-Columbia material. Ten tracks, drawn from various sessions at Decca, Commodore, Clef and Verve, starting with "Strange Fruit" and ending with a 1956 live version of "God Bless The Child." This set is nice in that it avoids the usual emphasis on her difficult-sounding later performances, avoiding the tragedy-laced version of her career in favor of a more positive, musically triumphant telling of the tale. For a budget-line release, it's pretty darn nice.

    5 out of 5 stars good Introduction to the New Billie Holiday Fan.......2002-07-31

    Billie Holiday is one of the Most Important Artists Ever to Rock a Mic&She is Displayed here with many of Her Classic Songs that Showcased Her Essence as a Artist."Strange Fruit","Good Morning Heartache","God Bless the Child" among others featured here.there are so many Collections to get on Her but this is a Cool Introduction for the New Billie Holiday Fan.

    Pop Music:

    1. I, Myself & Me
    2. Islands
    3. Life Is a Melody
    4. Live on TV 1990 [Live] [Import]
    5. Man and His Music
    6. Meditation
    7. Music for the Mind: Positive Outlook
    8. Narada Lotus Sampler #2
    9. Narada Sampler, Vol. 1
    10. New Dawn of the Sacred Flame

    Pop Music

    pop music

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