Friday, October 13, 2006

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST song of the day


Artist:Billie Holiday

Song:One For My Baby

Album:The Complete Billie Holiday On Verve 1945-1959






Billie Holiday had the looks to be a standard big band singer in the 1930s but she was bored by the standard big band approach and decided to associate herself with great jazz musicians like Lester Young. She made her voice a musical instrument when it was not the thing to do. That's why her recordings still sound great today. That her personal life was riddled with abusive relationships and the drug abuse that killed her in 1959 has added to her mystique over the years. This wonderful version of the Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen song One For My Baby is from this massive 10CD box set that literally includes everything she recorded for Verve Records from 1945 to 1959. It's probably a bit much for most listeners and the 6CD box set The Verve Master Takes is a better choice. Completists will love it though and Billie Holiday's music is still very fresh today.

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