4 comments about Ma Rainey.

1. The cd was terrific and the quality was just as I expected..., real! My mother taught me a saying, I didn't understand it until I had to face the reality of it myself. It was, "I've forgotten more than you'll ever know." This means there are so many experiences,so much history that our parents, grandparents and ancestors, witnessed, that was crammed into their lifetimes than they were capable of recalling, to us. I stop to think of what went on during the making of this music, what wasn't listed in the history books; romanitisizing of what everyday life struggles and accomplishments of the '30's and '40's. And to still have the power to put out such incredible music! Never forget where you came from and learn from your past and history because you can't have a future without it!



2. This record is an excellent sample of the roots of the blues.
   The remastering work preserves the old sound as mute witness of the moment.
   It's a great opportunity for young people to know this kind of music.}
   Enjoy it!



3. Ok, (whew) how do I review this one? First of all, let me just say that the sound quality is bad. It takes MULTIPLE listening to get used to this cd. You really have to be open-minded and be able to concentrate. If you are able to do that, then you should have no problem enjoying this cd. After all, before there was Billie or Bessie there was Ma Rainey. The growl in her voice just makes you jump and some of the things that she sings about will shock you (because she was so far ahead of her time). Ma Rainey's life and music should be taught in every America's music class. This cd is a gem, but requires a lot of patience.



4. Gosh! I just happened to buy this CD a week back from my local music store. Apparently there werent any takers for this one for months, thats what the store salesguy told me. And i was laughing half hysterical! Unbeleivable, no one wanted to buy Ma Rainey, probably the only the cd of hers this store ever had. Anyways, I reached home and shacked it up my CD player, and KaBoom! it goes off like some really old bootleg LP from prehistoric times. My first reaction wasnt a very excited one, it was a little disappointing because of the sound quality. But then after 3 listens i was like OOOH Baybeh, she the gurl! Its not just exhilerating to hear her groaning and crooning 24 tracks sprawled over 72 bluesy minutes. This is the best it can get. Rambunctious acoustic blues with an awesome orchestration. just grab it if you see this one.

5 comments about The Best of Dinah Washington.

1. The Best of Dinah Washington is a solid assortment of Dinah's work on Roulette Records and wow, is Dinah's voice ever in great form! Sure, the musical arrangements are rather similar; but I'm not sure Dinah had complete power over that. The sound quality is very good and I like the artwork, too.
   
   "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" has a fine big band style arrangement; and when Dinah comes in this number really takes flight! Dinah swings brightly and her voice is like silk. Dinah's excellent diction and her fine sense of timing enhance her performance even further! "Call Me Irresponsible" features Dinah squarely front and center; she sings this ballad with panache. Dinah also injects a certain romantic quality into this number using her finely tuned voice. Wonderful! Moreover, there's also "He's My Guy" uses the strings and brass to great advantage while Dinah sings her heart out.
   
   "For All We Know" gives us yet another romantic tune that Dinah aces easily; her voice is rich, warm and vibrant. The music that accompanies her is beautiful but it is definitely Dinah that owns the spotlight. "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" starts with a musical flourish; and Dinah comes in to take this number straight out of the ballpark! Dinah sings "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" beautifully; the background chorus wasn't really necessary. Dinah could have handled this all by herself; she certainly was good enough to do that.
   
   "That Sunday (That Summer)" is a number former President Kennedy always enjoyed; and it's always been one of my favorites, too. "That Sunday (That Summer)" gets a fine interpretation from Dinah who delivers this somewhat more slowly than I'm used to--but it still holds its own very well. "Fly Me To The Moon" has a backup chorus to bolster Dinah's performance--and she sings this sweetly to make this an especially pretty number. I love it!
   
   "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" shines when Dinah sings it to perfection--and beyond! Dinah sings this with heart and soul; and she never misses a beat, either! "Destination Moon" is equally brilliant in Dinah's capable hands; the brass sounds great and Dinah just couldn't have done this any better--it's all THAT good.
   
   The CD ends with Dinah singing "Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning." The music starts--and Dinah comes in to make this number very memorable. Nobody could have sung this quite as beautifully as Dinah did!
   
   Dinah Washington fans will want this CD for their collections. People who enjoy classic pop vocals will also like this album.



2. After fourteen glorious years with Mercury, Dinah closed out her fabulous career with Roulette Records where she added six Billboard Hot 100 entries from 1961 to 1963 before her untimely death on December 14, 1963 at age 39.
   
   These Roulette entries, bland as they are, certainly cannot be counted among her finest recordings as not one made the R&B charts, where she was a fixture from 1944 to 1961. Indeed, the biggest hit there was the first, Where Are You, which peaked at # 36 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in June 1962 b/w You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You, which also charted at # 87 Hot 100 in May. Both sides of For All We Know and I Wouldn't Know (What To Do) also charted in late summer 1962, but at the lower end of the Hot 100 at # 88 and 93 respectively. That last is not included here.
   
   Things only got worse with You're A Sweetheart, her cover of the # 1 1938 hit by Dolly Dawn, which barely made the Hot 100 at # 98 in November b/w It's A Mean Old World. But at least both sides are here, although they list the B-side wrongly at track 10. Her final hit ever, Soulville, fared only slightly better in May/June 1963 when it reached # 98 Hot 100 b/w Let Me Be The First To Know. But whereas the B-side is provided here at track 14, the hit itself is omitted.
   
   The 3-star rating is based partly on the lowering quality of her voice in this period and the fact that Roulette/Capitol saw fit to leave off two out of six hits she had with the label. Why?



3. I wondered why during Dinah's contract to Roulette Records they didn't saw fit to record her in something besides an orchestra or violin strings? I own many of Dinah's stuff (on both CDs and records), and to say the least, this woman is TALENTED. But it's frustrating to hear her in nothing short of constant repetition on this "Best of" collection. Roulette is generous including a whopping 23 tracks on this set, but most of them are the same arrangement and accompaniment. Couldn't they be more creative in the arrangements for Dinah? The best tracks here are taken from her outstanding "Back to the Blues" CD when she sang in a bluesy, gospel-inflected manner, the style that got her the most attention when she started out as a singer. Unfortunately with the pop success that came to Dinah, she repeated the same formula, and most of that is reflected here, track after track of endless strings and unimaginative big band charts. I would recommend bypassing this collection and getting the outstanding "Back to the Blues" set that is also available on Amazon. Dinah's singing there is inspired and blues-singing at its best.



4. her voice is one of a kind.this set showcases her talent.the band the arrangements are top form.her voice is Rich&timeless.she is one of the Greatest female singers ever.you feel the texture of her voice.



5. This CD has great sound. This is Dinah Washington at her best, with the best backup band and recording session she ever had. When you listen to Dinah Washington sing on this album you'll believe that she was as equally talented as Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

1 comments about I Can't Be Satisfied: Early American Women Blues Singers, Vol. 2: Town.

1. Approximately 68 min. Remastered sound. This is the second volume of female singers from Yazoo Records from the 1920's,and is equal to the first. These tracks cover a more big-city sound of blues singing. The first volume had a rural feel to it. This album has a more sophisticated sound,both in the style of singing and the arrangements. The backing on these tracks is fleshed out with horns from small jazz combos and have an overall feel of almost a Louis Armstrong style. Singers relatively known like Victoria Spivey,Sippie Wallace,and Ma Rainey make a showing here. But others,like the fine Clara Smith and Bertha Hill also make an appearrance. The subject matter has not changed all that much from the first volume. Matters of the heart,money,and down and out times are all here. Taken together,these two volumes make up an important area of blues singing that doesn't receive a lot of attention. As I said about the first volume,if you don't own this,your blues library is incomplete. After listening to both of these fine volumes,you will agree.

4 comments about The Right Time.

1. "YOU'RE TAKING UP ANOTHER MAN'S PLACE' IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE CD ALL BY ITSELF. THIS IS A GREAT STUDIO CD FROM ETTA JAMES, FROM 1992. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS ARE HANK CRAWFORD (SAX) AND STEVE CROPPER (GUITAR), TWO MUSICIANS WHO CAN PLAY THE BLUES WITH ANYBODY.



2. Etta's blues is when she sings it she makes you listen. She is just awesome. Good mixture of blues.



3. This album is a must for the true "Blues" enthusiatist. Etta projects her vocals with the precision and enthusiam for which she is so famous. The sax riffs by Hank Crawford and Harvey Thompson are SO right on; and Steve Cropper gives his all on the guitar...

   "Give It Up" with Steve Winwood adding to the vocals gives me shivers...what a match...Steve and Etta!!!!

   If you don't enjoy this album, you're not a blues fan!! It's Etta at her best!!!! Five stars, totally!




4. a hot summer evening, sitting on the porch watching the fireflies type blues. I first heard Etta James on the weekend blues station in Seattle and was hooked. A tell it like it is singer with depth and soul supported by a precision band. A cornerstone of any good blues collection.

No comments about The Hits of '23: Dreamy Melody.

5 comments about Songs I Like to Sing!.

1. Can't really top  N. Dorward "obsessive reviewer"'s review except to say that sound is amazing. Classic Contemporary sound except it is Holzer instead of DuNann.



2. This is perhaps a slightly overlooked album--but if you hear it you'll know why anyone who's heard it treasures it. Humes' voice is absolutely gorgeous (you'd almost believe the lyrics to "Million Dollar Secret" when she says she's 33!--she was 47), & she handles a challenging set of tunes & Marty Paich's complex arrangements effortlessly, modulating easily between intimate, plainspoken ballads & spirited numbers that bring out the joy & a certain steeliness too in her voice. The band's mostly West Coast musicians--Art Pepper gets the alto solos (this was one of the last things he did before getting thrown in the slammer for 6 years), Jack Sheldon the trumpet solos, Teddy Edwards gets one spot, & Barney Kessel, Andre Previn, Leroy Vinnegar & Shelly Manne are an instantly recognizable, blue-chip rhythm section. But the biggest pleasure is the presence of Ben Webster, who gets all over the ballads--just sample his work on the opening "If I Could Be With You", or his obliggatos on "Imagination". A few tracks have (discreet) string quartet accompaniment, which for once complements rather than oversweetens the music. Paich is respectful of Humes &, while there are plenty of modern touches to the charts, he always stays in touch with a 1930s/1940s big band sound & doesn't pepper the charts with cute touches (the bane of 1950s arrangements, I've found).
   
   Virtually everything here is first-rate, but let me single out "If Could Be With You", "Mean to Me", "Every Now and Then", "My Old Flame" & "Imagination", all of them classic readings which bear out Humes' statement in the liner notes that "Primarily, I like to sing ballads." Somehow, despite the slight oddity of pairing Humes & Webster with a crack West Coast band, the results are a classic album. Do try.



3. This former r&b superstar from the late 40's, had a huge hit in "Million Dollar secret", and she reprises that song on thsi classic cd, that has the quality of one of Sinatra's Capital concept albums. This cd is a classic thru and thru from the achingly torchy performance she gives on Mean To Me, to the Gospel preachy sassiness of Roof Over My head. She also delivers a saucy version of her old hit Million Dollar secret with kittenish sensuality. Her vocie is so appealing, and sweet, and at the same time completely rhythmic and bluesy, yet happy! Humes career started as a delta blues singer in 1929, then Count Basie's girl singer in the early 40's and then as a r&b singer in the late 40's, so by the time she recorded this lp in the late 50's, she had already had 3 careers, and thsi was her 4th as a jazz singer, or a swing singer, using her roots from r&b, to make thsi set not only swing hard, but rock and roll as well, as bouce, bop, jump, and stomp. this little lady is like a vitimen pill full of energy and style, yet she handles ballads as wel las rhythm numbers. A perfect vocal set!



4. Helen Humes started her great career at the age of 13 singing and recording dirty blues in 1929, she was a popular and succesful blues chantause. It wasn't until years later she would appear on record with Count Basie & His Orchestra, in the early 40's again she was popular as a band singer, singing sentimantal ballads. Then again in the mid 40's she appeared on records, under her own name, cutting r&b hits like Ebaba leba and Million Dollar Secret. So in a sense the had three careers in 3 decades, a blues singer, a big band girl singer and a rhythm and blues singer. So it's no surprise that in the 50's Mel Torme's regular arranger Marty Paich would arrange a suitable album for her, a great concept album, simply songs she likes to sing. Humes sings difinitive versions of If I Could Be With You, Mean To Me, Million dollar Secret, Roof Over My Head and Imagination. This classic lp was at least as good as anything Ella or Sarah were recording on Verve at the time. Humes' vocie was so appealing at this time, that one can't help but like this lp(now on cd), more then Ella's Verves. This cd shows just how great a singer Helen was, and she kept making comebacks in the 60's, 70's and 80's, a remarkable singer wit ha bell like voice, so sweet you just want to eat it up by the spoonful.



5. Helen Humes who started out singing dirty blues in the 20's, also was Count Basie's "girl singer" in the 30's, but her biggest success was when she went out on her own in the 40's and made it big with her hit "E-Baba-Leba." Humes always had a bell like vioce, which is hihly appealing, her jazz phrasing is exquisitem, and she indeed gives Ella a run for her money on this essential 1959 set titles "Songs I Like To Sings" and they are songs we like to hear her sing. Included are essential versions of "If I Could Be With You" "Every Now & Then" and "Million Dollar Secret". All arrangementa are by Mel Torme's regular arranger Marty Paich, Paich's arrangements are perfect for Humes' honey dipped vocals. Humes' singing style had only improved with time(in fact she cut some great seesions in the 1980's) This is perhaps one of the finest jazz vocal LP's ever to be reissued on CD(another one is Lee Wiley's "West Of The Moon) This is essental music folks, buy a copy today.

No comments about Cabin in the Sky - Original Soundtrack.

5 comments about Sing It!.

1. I can understand the sentiment expressed by at least one of the previous reviewers that, despite the considerable appeal of this collaboration, the three remarkable singers behind it had all done better solo work before--and since. That's probably arguable, but I admit I'm kind of "solo oriented" myself. There's nothing quite like exploring the work of an individual performer at some depth. Of course, since I HAVE so much of the solo work by Nelson, Thomas and Ball, I don't personally feel deprived, and this collaboration is a certainly a welcome and kind of special treat. But I do appreciate that reviewer's frustration to a degree. Why is it that this one collaborative effort--good as it is--garnered these talented artists considerably more attention than almost anyof their solo projects? It even got them an all-too-rare Grammy nod back in 1999.
   
   But shouldn't these three great singers be getting Grammy nominations left, right and center?
   
   That's something of a rhetorical question. Such is the way of the world--or at least the way of the "biz." Joint projects like this are "event" albums by definition. And even superstars like Crosby, Stills and Nash got more attention as a group than they ever did for any of their solo works. (I'm deliberately leaving Neil Young out of that equation, cuz I'm not so sure that's true in his case.)
   
   So ultimately, it's best to consider SING IT! on its own terms--and if you do you'll find it's is a fine (and fun) collaborative work. Each singer is offered a chance to do a bit of what she does best. Irma Thomas, for instance, delivers some of her patented good timey N'Awlins soul ("People Will Be People," "Woman on the Move) but also joins Tracy Nelson for a full-throated, powerhouse closer, "You Don't Know Nothin' About Love." As they proved on a much earlier duet ("Please Send Me Someone To Love" which had appeared on Nelson's IN THE HERE AND NOW release) they make for formidable vocal sparring partners.
   
   Aside from that duet, Tracy Nelson--easily one of the most under-recognized talents in the business--has several other moments to shine as well. "In Tears," which she does here as a solo and was later done on tour as a duet with Irma, is a classic country soul ballad that gives Nelson ample opportunity to show her vocal prowess. Same can be said for the plaintive "Please No More," which has the added benefit of some nifty word play on the title phrase.
   
   And of course, Marcia Ball is as saucy and sly as ever. While she doesn't have as powerful a delivery as her cohorts here, her sharp, witty phrasing, high spirits and delicious boogie piano more than compensate. Truth be told, her voice is just right for the lively, slightly bawdy tunes she offers here--as good as anything on her solo albums, for sure. Songs like "Lovemaker," in fact, have become part of her standard repertoire. Fun stuff. Of course, she can get serious to when the song demands it, as is illustrated on her duet with Tracy, "Heart to Heart." Ball is the consummate professional. And it shows.
   
   But some of the best moments on this record are the tunes that focus on three-part harmonies, of which the title track is but one of several. These make for some special moments and is the kind of stuff you DON'T hear much of on any of the solo records. The harmonies are tight and spirited--and as natural as if they had been singing together all their lives. "MIT" (as they sometimes jokingly referred to themselves) could have been a great "girl group." Of course, these "girls" are all, in reality, mature women with all the perspective and wisdom that implies. But they still have al the chops. And the harmonies are spot-on.
   
   A good listen, overall. And an even better intro to all three singers, uh, how you say?, "oeuvres." So to my fellow poster (the one who prefers the solo work), I'd have to say, "Listen, I'd be the first to jump down the throat of anyone who heard this and failed to pick up on any of the singers' other releases. What more proof do you possibly need that these ladies are major talent whose work should be better known?"
   
   But unfortunaely, you can't control what other people do. Many listeners will take this in, say, "Oh, how nice," and then rush out to buy the latest Mariah instead of following up on any of these great ladies. But you know, at least some small percentage of the people who check this album out, will go on to sample the solo work. And that can only be a boon to MIT's collective careers. Heck, I've even met a few folks at various concerts who told me that they had been Marcia fans for years,say, and had only just discovered Irma and/or Tracy via this album. And vice versa.
   
   So SING IT!'s cross-fertilization proved to be effective marketing. But it's more than that. All three singers have described it something of a career highlight, and I take them at their word. SING IT! is well worth your attention and time. And if your smart, you won't stop there but will check out the the singers' entire catalogs.
   
   (I just have one caveat. Make sure you listen to it on a good sound system. Tracy Nelson's voice is so powerful that it actually tended to distort when I played it recently on a cheap little boombox. It's absolutely amazing what a difference good speakers can make.)



2. Growing on me as I accept it without the expectations I get from their solo work. Mostly friendly, solid, wholly idiomatic, but unexceptional New Orleans and Memphis R&B. All of them have done much better work, but it is still fun to hear them together. Standouts: Please no more; tr 13-You don't know nothin' about love (with Tracy's full power) [49:38]



3. I actually heard these ladies first on Austin City Limits and decided that I needed the CD. Friends take one listen to this CD and fall in love with it just as I did. They like it so much that I am eager to let them take it home. I have bought FOUR copies and sent TWO as gifts. And I don't even have a copy for my own right now. My female friends have shared with me that this CD is highly suitable for listening while taking a candle-lite bath to soak away those "man-trouble" blues and also while trying to shake the road-rage syndrome on the ride home from work (of which I agree). BUY IT. And share it with a friend.



4. This was the first I have ever heard of any of these ladies. Tracy and Irma stand out and You don't know nothin'about love, is the most powerful piece on the cd. Tracy is heard all over this cd with power force and beauty. I enjoy her thoroughly and will look for some of her solo stuff in the future. She crosses between gospel and blues with authority and passion. The highlight of this cd is the last song You don't know nothin' about love Great song



5. It's a rare treat to have 3 enormously talented divas somehow combine their original powerful distinctive voices into one song but they managed to do it with gusto and joy. Tracey Nelson steals the show, however, with her solos such as "In Tears" which dazzle the listener with her dynamic, powerful voice which makes these songs her own. I have seen her in person and I would be afraid to share the stage with her because her vocals would blow me off the stage.

4 comments about Jazz at the Philharmonic: The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 1.

1. I've never heard the Compact Disc version of this LP, and I'm sure it's nearly just as fantastic, but when I found this record in my attic, and put it on my turntable, it was like time stopped, and I heard the most passionate music my ears have heard for years.



2. This is a great collection of some of Billie's best, very well selected, sequenced and engineered. Just enough of the old
   gramophone sound remains to give it that blues quality without detracting from its enjoyment.



3. I am a huge fan of Billie's and this recording is just great in every way. First, it is live, and as another reviewer mentioned, you can actually hear the audience cheering and catcalling, thrilled to be listening - it is almost as if one is sent back in time and we're there, too! Second, it is a compiltion of performances through the years, so we get Billie soaring, gliding, and struggling from the early 40's through the late 50's. A must have, to be sure!!! "You'd better go now," "There is no greater love," and most especially "Travlin' light" are beyond great. They're mythical and light as a feather. You cannot go wrong with ANY of the Verve Billie's and this one is a super introduction to one of music's most complex and moving performers. We love you, Billie.



4. This CD is probably one of the most played I have of Billie's and I have a LOT. The label has done a terrific job of getting things that are on lots of CDs, on THIS one alone. Acetate discs were used for some remastering, and it is evident, but equally evident is Billie in front of an audience! They literally go wild, at the mere suggestion of a song. Her versions of "No Greater Love" and "I Cover The Waterfront" are the DEFINITIVE ones here. Her voice was never so beautiful, floating through the air at Carnegie Hall, the audience in a quiet hush listening to history being made. This CD also ends with the last two songs Billie ever sang, "Lover Man" and "What a Little Moonlight." Great voice, great sound, great night! This gives you a complete picture, and a lovely one of that, of the great artist in concert. There is no other CD like this one!

5 comments about The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol.5: 1937-1938.

1. Laura Nyro wrote a wonderful song called LouiseÕs Church, about underappreciated women artists, in which she proclaims, "Billie was a real musician." I love both Laura Nyro and Billie Holiday, but that always seemed to me a really odd line. Of course Holiday was one of the greatest singers who ever lived, if not THE greatest, but a musician?

   After I listened to this CD, NyroÕs assertion suddenly made sense to me. Billie Holiday is well-known for her ability to take a trite song and make it shine by singing contrary to the spirit of the lyrics, or bringing out subtle shades of meaning that even the lyricist was probably unaware of. There are plenty of samples of that talent on this album. She sings the chirpy "Things Are Looking Up" at a dirge-like speed, and with an ache in her voice. And the way she sings "My First Impression of You" Ð a bland little ode to love at first sight Ð you know the first impression turned out to be wrong.

   But what impresses me most about this album, more than any other Billie Holiday album I own, is that it shows off her talent as a musician. The musicians who back her up on these tracks are astounding Ð Buck Clayton, Teddy Wilson, and especially Lester Young (the play between HolidayÕs voice and YoungÕs saxophone on "Getting Some Fun Out of Life" is one of the high points in the history of popular music Ð that alone is worth the price of the disk.) Obviously these 18 tracks arenÕt the only ones she ever cut with these musicians. She worked with them on and off throughout her career. But the instrumentalists are featured prominently on most of these songs -- on several tracks, the vocal doesnÕt even come in until the middle of the song Ð and the music is so gorgeous you could subtract BillieÕs voice and it would still be a joy to listen to.

   Of course, youÕd never want to take out the vocal from these songs, because theyÕre not only examples of great singing, theyÕre an essential part of the music. ItÕs not just that the band did a great job of supporting Billie Holiday, but also that she does a great job of supporting them. Her tone is gorgeous and her rhythm is both impeccable and unique. Even when thereÕs not much to do in the song, she blends in as one more beautifully toned instrument in a knockout orchestra.

   Laura Nyro was right Ð Billie was a real musician, one who could more than hold her own with some of the best musicians who ever lived. If you have any interest at all in Billie Holiday's work, this album is an essential purchase.




2. This Quintessential #5 may well be the BEST one compiled during her Vocalion-Brunswick (Columbia) years, and that's saying alot considering all nine Quintessential volumes are considered classics in the jazz canon. What distinguishes this particular set is the well-chosen songs and unforgettable performances by Billie and her elite sidemen. I would be hard pressed to find a more joyful Billie than the one captured here. Maybe it's not a coincidence this set came right in the middle of her recording years at Columbia, for she had found that right balance between swing and poignancy in her performances. The earlier sets tend to swung too much while the later sets border on melancholy. This one has just the right amount of both. Billie sounds she's getting a lift from the group of men backing her on instrumentals and what a group: Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Freddie Green, Teddy Wilson. In fact you can hear the sheer joy and pleasure in Billie's singing. This was probably a very happy time in her life and she shares that with the world. Look for the standout swinger tracks: "Travelin' All Alone" "Back in Your Own Backyard" "Born to Love" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It", but really, all the tracks are classics.



3. So many singers claim to be influenced by great Lady Day -there are countless tribute albums on the market,where different people are exploring her repertoire (from Anita O'Day,Carmen Mc Rae,Rosemary Clooney and Chet Baker to more recently Tony Bennett,even last Bryan Ferry album sounds very much like something that Billie would record with a small band in 1930's) and still nothing touches me as the real thing.All 9 volumes of her collected works for "Columbia" are stunningly beautiful,seems to me they are just going better as they progress: this one is surprisingly swinging and uplifting.People who remebers Billie only as a singer of sad,gloomy songs,should check this one:"Trav'lin All Alone","He's Funny That Way","Nice Work If You Can Get It","Can't Help Lovin That Man" - they are all melancholic but still rhythmicaly uptempo,and Teddy Wilson piano is simply breathtaking.On the other hand,in the song "Things Are Looking Up" she sounds like a little girl who is trying not to cry,while her heart is broken.Everybody who thinks that Billie Holiday is only about sadness and pain,should hear this volume 5: its different,young and vibrant woman whan she was in her prime,light years away from sad end and "Lady In Satin".



4. By far my favorite Billie Holiday cd, and one of my favorite jazz cds of all time. This is Billie at her best. The combination of her beautiful voice and Lester Young's tenor make this album the perfect start for a relaxing Saturday or Sunday morning. No one will ever be able to sing about love to way Billie did!



5. Billie with Lester Young. The only thing I can say: AMAZING! I love you Billie.