JRR 4 April

[Alyn_Shipton]

The playlist is now available here: http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/2015/04...aster-weekend/

[Serial_Apologist]

The playlist is now available here: http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/2015/04...aster-weekend/

Many thanks Alyn.

Lots Billie this week, for her Centenary.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Lots Billie this week, for her Centenary.

thanks Alyn and loadsa Billie is an excellent plan!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Billie's 50s Verve recording of "I thought about you" with just piano (Jimmy Jones?) is one of the saddest I know. In the correct sense.

BN.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

one of my first placements in the family radiogram ....

[Ian Thumwood]

In Gunther Schuller's book about "The Swing Era" he was more enthusiastic about Billie Holiday's earlier recordings than the later ones. This may seem contrary to the more popular enthusiasm for the material she produced for Verve - as good as that sometimes is.

The 1950's output have an emotional clout where her voice started to suffer from the rigours of her life until it was eventually wrecked. I would have to agree. The stuff recorded with the likes of Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, Buck Clayton, etc are almost perfect examples of how to transform popular songs. These 3 minute tracks are little masterpieces and whereas efforts like "Strange Fruit" and "God bless the child" are justly celebrated, I don't think she ever matched the music she recorded for Columbia. The represent some of the best jazz produced in the 1930's and , to be honest, the later efforts do not come close to the brilliance of records like "I must have that man", "Easy living", "I 've got my love to keep me warm", etc. Some of the tracks may not be the greatest material she was given to work with yet she still manages to produce great art from even the weakest of the tunes. The best material is sublime and beyond compare. In my opinion, the later stuff rarely gets as good as the finest recordings she produced in the 1930's. It was also the only time that she recorded with musicians who were at the then vanguard of where jazz was at that point in time. The later r4ecordings aren't without their own merits but they never achieve the level of consistency that matched the Columbia recordings. They are easily the vocal high point in jazz in the 1930's and only really matched by some of Louis Armstrong's work and the finest recordings by Jimmy Rushing. Vocal jazz from the 1930's can often be a cringe-worthy affair with the work by the white girl singers with so many of the bands being unlistenable in that they seem so dated. Billie's work is timeless.

[Alyn_Shipton]

You're going to love Geoffrey's show then Ian, because he is focussing mainly on the later stuff. Me, I rather like the 40s material, not just the sides with Louis from New Orleans the movie (and with Sy Oliver, one of which is in JRR) but her work with Eddie Heywood, with Doc Cheatham et al. Her voice was in great fettle, and the arrangements are a bit less hit and miss than the early Teddy Wilsons. Though Buck, Lester, Ben Webster, Roy et al make those a delight too...Buck used to have "Why Was I Born" as the music on his answerphone.

[Ian Thumwood]

I always wished that I had bought all those Columbia records. The 1930's music would surely fit in to the most essential recordings in the history of jazz. As well as the chance to hear Lester Young in his prime, the cast of supporting musicians is as good as it could get in that era and I find them all to be pretty sympathetic. They epitomise all that was great about jazz at that time and Holiday seemed at her most carefree and free-spirited. "Why was I born" is another example of the kind of master-class she effortlessly produced at that time. Her later recordings, as good as they are, seem more mannered. The Columbia reords have the same quality as the Armstrong Hot 5's and 7's in that they immediately grab your attention and have that element of perfection that 3 minute recordings seemed to offer. I think some jazz fans like to emphasize the tragic elements of certain musicians recordings and the quality of perfect imperfections - for me, the earlier stuff is so good that nothing she produced could match these peerless recordings. Some of the performances are so good that alternative interpretations of these tunes are not really needed or indeed wanted.

[Serial_Apologist]

I always wished that I had bought all those Columbia records. The 1930's music would surely fit in to the most essential recordings in the history of jazz. As well as the chance to hear Lester Young in his prime, the cast of supporting musicians is as good as it could get in that era and I find them all to be pretty sympathetic. They epitomise all that was great about jazz at that time and Holiday seemed at her most carefree and free-spirited. "Why was I born" is another example of the kind of master-class she effortlessly produced at that time. Her later recordings, as good as they are, seem more mannered. The Columbia reords have the same quality as the Armstrong Hot 5's and 7's in that they immediately grab your attention and have that element of perfection that 3 minute recordings seemed to offer. I think some jazz fans like to emphasize the tragic elements of certain musicians recordings and the quality of perfect imperfections - for me, the earlier stuff is so good that nothing she produced could match these peerless recordings. Some of the performances are so good that alternative interpretations of these tunes are not really needed or indeed wanted.

A very superficial assessment of Ms Holiday, iimss Ian, so uncharacteristic of you - seemed should be the operative word.

[Ian Thumwood]

SA

I don't think it is at all superficial. The later recordings are good but the Columbia records seem to me as close to perfection as any jazz from any particular era. I have two volumes on CBS and really regret that I didn't buy the complete set. They are absolutely brilliant, little gems with some much to take from each 3 minute recording. I think some recordings have a quality about them that are so exceptional it is almost difficult to believe that they were recorded by mere mortals. I'd include the Decca Basie recordings, Dukes 1940's Blanton / Webster band sessions, the Goodman trios / quartets / Charlie Christian recordings, Morton RHP's and Armstrong's 5 &7's in this assessment as well as later recordings like Miles 2nd quintet, etc.

There is something amazing about vintage jazz recordings that hugely appeals to me. Perhaps it is the fact that it represents a kind of music that had long gone before I got in to jazz. However the BH recordings have an amazing about of quality music packed into each 3 minute offering. Anyone would struggle to reproduce a body of work as good as this and , for me, it represents the apogee of her career and one of the crowning achievements in jazz.

From a musical point of view, Holiday seemed to have be more rhythmically aware and the variety of moods / styles is far more varied. Having the great Teddy Wilson on piano obviously doesn't harm either. He is probably the most consummate pianist of that era. The chapter in Schuller, from recollection, is quite revealing in it's appraisal. Don't get me wrong, I like her later recordings but I love these Columbia offerings.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i was really taken by the subtle phrasing on Way You Look of Vido Musso on clarinet; his name only dimly familiar to me from old record covers

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

A really enjoyable program. Many thanks. And the Body and Soul with Hawkins was a beaut. I'd forgotten how good this was. No request from Lady in Satin? At one time I thought Dexter was working his way through this album. You've Changed, Fool to want you, etc.

BN.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

A really enjoyable program. Many thanks. And the Body and Soul with Hawkins was a beaut. I'd forgotten how good this was. No request from Lady in Satin? At one time I thought Dexter was working his way through this album. You've Changed, Fool to want you, etc.

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

Vido Musso is more familiar as a tenor player in Benny Goodman's 1930's big band.

The whole point of the Billie Holiday Columbia recordings is that she was surrounded by the very must soloists around at that time. There were very few horn players of note form that time who don't crop out - perhaps Coleman Hawkins, then away in Europe, is probably the most obvious example. It is surprising how good all the musicians are on these sessions and it makes you realise the depth of original talent around at that time.

The weirdest combination always struck me as Pres and Johnny Hodge but I can't remember which song it is they are featured together.

[Old Grumpy]

Thanks Alyn. An interesting chronological review and a fitting tribute to Lady Day.

OG