Artist: Billie Holiday Rating: Release Date: April 05, 2005Type: Compilation (best of)Genre: Vocal Music
Review Although the title could only have been coined by a marketing department, The Ultimate Collection deserves the highest of praise. It is not only the first American compilation to survey
Billie Holiday 's entire 25-year career -- and astutely, at that -- but it also includes a DVD that presents the lion's share of her film and TV appearances, a full discography, and an interactive timeline. The audio discs spotlight all of
Holiday 's most innovative material, from the musically pioneering "Billie's Blues" and "Lover Man," in which she refined the perpetually coarse female blues form and virtually invented the slow-burn torch song, to the socially progressive "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless the Child," wherein she yoked reform concerns to beguiling pop songs and became a master of the protest song. (As it should be, the 1939 of
Billie Holiday 's "Strange Fruit" seems much more recent than the 1939 when a majority of Southerners felt lynching was justified in case of sexual assault.) The bulk of the material rightly comes from her
Verve and
Columbia libraries, but there are many inclusions from her breathtaking
Decca and
Commodore catalogs, as well as a superb version of "Trav'lin Light" from a 1942
Capitol session with accompaniment from (surprise) the outmoded but effective Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Fittingly, the program begins with one of
Holiday 's first sessions -- in 1933, when she provided a short vocal chorus over a reading of "Miss Brown to You" by Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra -- and it ends, on the DVD portion, with her reprising another 1933 title for the television program Art Ford's Jazz Party one year before her death. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Tracks
CD 1
Miss Brown to You (Lyrics) Ralph Rainger , Leo Robin , Richard Whiting Billie Holiday , Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra (3:00)
What a Little Moonlight Can Do (Lyrics) Harry Woods Billie Holiday (2:58)
I Cried for You (Lyrics) Abe Lyman , Gus Arnheim , Arthur Freed Billie Holiday (3:12)
Mean to Me (Lyrics) Fred E. Ahlert , Roy Turk Billie Holiday (3:08)
Strange Fruit (Lyrics) L. Allen Billie Holiday (3:11)
Fine and Mellow
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (3:16)
God Bless the Child
Billie Holiday , Arthur Herzog Jr. Billie Holiday (2:57)
Trav'lin' Light (Lyrics) Jimmy Mundy , Trummy Young , Johnny Mercer Billie Holiday , Paul Whiteman Orchestra (3:17)
My Old Flame (Lyrics) Arthur Johnston , Sam Coslow Billie Holiday (3:03)
I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)
Fred E. Ahlert , Roy Turk Billie Holiday (2:59)
Billie's Blues
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (3:09)
He's Funny That Way (Lyrics) Neil Moret Billie Holiday (3:18)
Lover Man (Lyrics) Roger "Ram" Ramirez , Jimmy Sherman , Jimmy Davis Billie Holiday (3:18)
Don't Explain (Lyrics) Billie Holiday , Arthur Herzog Jr. Billie Holiday (3:23)
Good Morning Heartache (Lyrics) Ervin Drake , Dan Fisher , Irene Higginbotham Billie Holiday (3:07)
No Good Man (Lyrics) Dan Fisher , Sammy Gallop , Irene Higginbotham Billie Holiday (3:06)
The Blues Are Brewin'
Eddie DeLange , Louis Alter Billie Holiday (3:04)
Solitude (Lyrics) Irving Mills , Eddie DeLange , Duke Ellington Billie Holiday (3:10)
Easy Living (Lyrics) Ralph Rainger , Leo Robin Billie Holiday (3:12)
I Loves You Porgy
George Gershwin , Ira Gershwin , Dubose Heyward Billie Holiday (2:56)
My Man (Mon Homme)
Albert Willemetz , Jacques Charles , Channing Pollack , Maurice Yvain Billie Holiday (2:57)
'Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do
Porter Grainger , Everett Robbins Billie Holiday (3:19)
CD 2
Them There Eyes
Maceo Pinkard , Doris Tauber , William Tracey Billie Holiday (2:51)
You Can't Lose a Broken Heart (Lyrics) Louis Armstrong , Billie Holiday (3:15)
You're My Thrill (Lyrics) Sidney Clare , Jay Gorney Billie Holiday (3:24)
Crazy He Calls Me
Bob Russell , Carl Sigman Billie Holiday (3:04)
Detour Ahead
Herb Ellis , Lou Carter Billie Holiday (3:03)
These Foolish Things
Harry Link , Jack Strachey , Holt Maschwitz Billie Holiday (3:36)
You Go to My Head (Lyrics) J. Fred Coots , Haven Gillespie Billie Holiday (2:56)
Love Me or Leave Me (Lyrics) Walter Donaldson , Gus Kahn Billie Holiday (2:36)
Willow Weep for Me
Ann Ronell Billie Holiday (3:07)
I Thought About You (Lyrics) Johnny Mercer , James Van Heusen Billie Holiday (2:48)
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Lyrics) Irving Berlin Billie Holiday (3:58)
Come Rain or Come Shine (Lyrics) Harold Arlen , Johnny Mercer Billie Holiday (4:23)
It Had to Be You (Lyrics) Isham Jones , Gus Kahn Billie Holiday (4:03)
What's New?
Bob Haggart , Johnny Burke Billie Holiday (4:17)
Lady Sings the Blues (Lyrics) Herbie Nichols , Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (3:44)
I Cover the Waterfront [Live]
Johnny Green , Edward Heyman Billie Holiday (3:45)
Body and Soul (Lyrics) Edward Heyman , Robert Sour , Frank Eyton Billie Holiday (6:20)
But Not for Me
George Gershwin , Ira Gershwin Billie Holiday (3:50)
One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
Harold Arlen , Johnny Mercer Billie Holiday (5:40)
I'm a Fool to Want You (Lyrics) Frank Sinatra , Jack Wolf , Joel Herron Billie Holiday (3:24)
CD 3
Saddest Tale [DVD]
Irving Mills , Duke Ellington Billie Holiday
The Blues Are Brewin' [DVD]
Eddie DeLange , Louis Alter Billie Holiday , Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans [DVD]
Eddie DeLange , Louis Alter Billie Holiday , Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
My Man (Mon Homme) [DVD]
Albert Willemetz , Jacques Charles , Maurice Yvain Billie Holiday
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone [DVD]
Sam H. Stept , Sidney Clare Billie Holiday
Billie's Blues [DVD]
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday
Fine and Mellow [DVD]
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday
What a Little Moonlight Can Do [DVD]
Harry Woods Billie Holiday
St. Louis Blues [DVD]
W.C. Handy Bessie Smith , Billie Holiday
I Cover the Waterfront [DVD]
Johnny Green , Edward Heyman Billie Holiday
Swing! Brother, Swing! [DVD Audio]
Walter Bishop , Clarence Williams , Lewis Raymond Billie Holiday
They Can't Take That Away from Me [DVD Audio]
George Gershwin , Ira Gershwin Billie Holiday
Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me [DVD Audio]
Duke Ellington , Bob Russell Billie Holiday , All Star Jam Band
I'll Get By [DVD Audio]
Fred E. Ahlert , Roy Turk Billie Holiday , All Star Jam Band
I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone [DVD Audio]
Buddy Johnson Billie Holiday , Red Norvo & His Orchestra
Jeepers Creepers [DVD Audio]
Johnny Mercer , Harry Warren Jimmy Rowles , Billie Holiday
Bonus Materials [DVD][*]
Billie Holiday
Credits Tony Scott (Clarinet), Buster Bailey (Clarinet) , Danny Barker (Guitar) , Count Basie (Piano) , Billy Bauer (Guitar) , Phil Bodner (Woodwind) , Buck Clayton (Trumpet) , Billy Eckstine (Interviewee) , Harry "Sweets" Edison (Trumpet) , Roy Eldridge (Trumpet) , Roy Eldridge (Interviewee) , Benny Goodman (Clarinet) , Freddie Green (Guitar) , Urbie Green (Trombone) , Tiny Grimes (Guitar) , Tiny Grimes (Interviewee) , Bobby Hackett (Trumpet) , Chico Hamilton (Drums) , Herbie Harper (Trumpet) , Eddie Heywood (Piano) , Eddie Heywood (Arranger) , Eddie Heywood (Director) , Johnny Hodges (Reeds) , Johnny Hodges (Sax (Alto)) , Gordon Jenkins (Arranger) , Gordon Jenkins (Director) , Budd Johnson (Sax (Tenor)) , James P. Johnson (Director) , Jo Jones (Drums) , Jo Jones (Interviewee) , Jonah Jones (Trumpet) , Wynton Kelly (Piano) , Barney Kessel (Guitar) , John Kirby (Bass) , Mundell Lowe (Guitar) , Red Mitchell (Bass) , Gerry Mulligan (Sax (Baritone)) , Red Norvo (Vibraphone) , Kid Ory (Trombone) , Mary Osborne (Guitar) , Oscar Peterson (Piano) , Oscar Pettiford (Bass) , Specs Powell (Drums) , Jimmy Rowles (Piano) , Jimmy Rowles (Interviewee) , Tab Smith (Sax (Alto)) , Willie Smith (Sax (Alto)) , Art Tatum (Piano) , Jack Teagarden (Trombone) , Mal Waldron (Piano) , Ben Webster (Sax (Tenor)) , Teddy Wilson (Piano) , Charlie Shavers (Trumpet) , Cootie Williams (Trumpet) , Lester Young (Sax (Tenor)) , Eddie Barefield (Clarinet) , Eddie Barefield (Sax (Baritone)) , Aaron Bell (Bass) , Billy Butterfield (Trumpet) , Cozy Cole (Drums) , Leonard Gaskin (Bass) , Bob Haggart (Bass) , Bob Haggart (Director) , John Hammond, Sr. (Producer) , John Hammond, Sr. (A&R) , John Hammond, Sr. (Interviewee) , Neal Hefti (Trumpet) , Horace Henderson (Piano) , Al Klink (Sax (Alto)) , Bernie Leighton (Piano) , Johnny Mince (Sax (Alto)) , Jimmy Mundy (Arranger) , Sy Oliver (Arranger) , Sy Oliver (Director) , Frankie Newton (Trumpet) , Zutty Singleton (Drums) , Grachan Moncur III (Bass) , Willie Rodriguez (Drums) , Bobby Troup (?) , Buddy Weed (Piano) , Alvy West (Saxophone) , Corky Hale (Piano) , Corky Hale (Interviewee) , Sylvia Syms (Interviewee) , Don Hill (Sax (Alto)) , Coleman Hawkins (Sax (Tenor)) , Herbie Steward (Clarinet) , Herbie Steward (Sax (Tenor)) , Stan Webb (Sax (Baritone)) , Otto Harwicke (Reeds) , Wellman Braud (Bass) , Sonny Greer (Drums) , Walter Page (Bass) , George Duvivier (Bass) , Lois (Soprano (Vocal)) , Al Cohn (Sax (Tenor)) , Louis Armstrong (Trumpet) , Louis Armstrong (Vocals) , Georgie Auld (Sax (Tenor)) , Danny Bank (Woodwind) , Everett Barksdale (Guitar) , Joe Benjamin (Bass) , Benny Carter (Sax (Alto)) , Emmett Berry (Trumpet) , Denzil Best (Drums) , Barney Bigard (Clarinet) , Barney Bigard (Reeds) , Billie Holiday (Vocals) , Billie Holiday (Interviewee) , Larry Binyon (Sax (Tenor)) , Johnny Blowers (Drums) , Lester Boone (Sax (Alto)) , Dave Bowman (Piano) , Norman Granz (Producer) , Ray Brown (Bass) , Mort Bullman (Trombone) , Larry Bunker (Drums) , Vinnie Burke (Bass) , Kenny Burrell (Guitar) , Robert Butler (Trumpet) , Red Callender (Bass) , Toots Camarata (Direction) , Harry Carney (Reeds) , Harry Carney (Sax (Baritone)) , Big Sid Catlett (Drums) , Henderson Chambers (Trombone) , Doc Cheatham (Trumpet) , Sid Cooper (Sax (Alto)) , Jimmy Crawford (Drums) , Lem Davis (Sax (Alto)) , Vic Dickenson (Trombone) , Bob Dorsey (Sax (Tenor)) , George Dorsey (Sax (Alto)) , Eddie Dougherty (Drums) , Duke Ellington (Piano) , Ray Ellis (Arranger) , Ray Ellis (Conductor) , Herschel Evans (Sax (Tenor)) , Andrew "Fats" Ford (Trumpet) , Milt Gabler (Producer) , Milt Gabler (A&R) , Barry Galbraith (Guitar) , Joe Garland (Sax (Tenor)) , Amos Gordon (Sax (Alto)) , Gordon Griffin (Trumpet) , Joe Guy (Trumpet) , Haywood Henry (Sax (Baritone)) , Haywood Henry (Sax (Tenor)) , Milt Hinton (Bass) , Milt Hinton (Photography) , George Hunt (Trombone) , Freddie Jenkins (Trumpet) , J.J. Johnson (Trombone) , Osie Johnson (Drums) , Armand Karpoff (Viola) , Phil Kraus (Percussion) , Carey Kress (Guitar) , Leo Kruczek (Violin) , Billy Kyle (Piano) , Steve Lasker (Disc Transfers) , Jack Lesberg (Bass) , John Levy (Bass) , Leroy Lovett (Musical Direction) , Lawrence Lucie (Guitar) , Earl Mason (Piano) , Lenny McBrowne (Drums) , Murray McEachern (Trombone) , Andy McKaie (Compilation Producer) , Dan Minor (Trombone) , Toots Mondello (Sax (Alto)) , Bob Moore (Trumpet) , Big Chief Russell Moore (Trombone) , Sol Moore (Sax (Baritone)) , Tony Mottola (Guitar) , Ed Mullens (Trumpet) , Joe Tricky Sam Nanton (Trombone) , Bob Neel (Drums) , David "Fathead" Newman (Strings) , Jimmy Nottingham (Trumpet) , George Ockner (Violin) , George Ockner (Concert Master) , Romeo Penque (Woodwind) , Charles Peterson (Photography) , Charles Peterson (Cover Photo) , Rudy Powell (Sax (Alto)) , Bernie Privin (Trumpet) , Janet Putnam (Harp) , Paul Quinichette (Sax (Tenor)) , Allan Reuss (Guitar) , Hank Ross (Sax (Tenor)) , Dave Sawyer (Cello) , Hymie Schertzer (Sax (Alto)) , Doug Schwartz (Digital Remastering) , Bud Scott (Banjo) , Bud Scott (Guitar) , Artie Shapiro (Bass) , Arvell Shaw (Bass) , Bunny Shawker (Drums) , Iggy Shevak (Bass) , John Simmons (Bass) , John Simmons (Director) , Carson Smith (Bass) , Bill Stegmeyer (Clarinet) , Bill Stegmeyer (Director) , Bill Stegmeyer (Sax (Alto)) , Alvin Stoller (Drums) , Billy Taylor (Piano) , Juan Tizol (Trombone) , Irving Townsend (Producer) , John Trueheart (Guitar) , Bobby Tucker (Piano) , Dick Vance (Trumpet) , Mike Wallace (Interviewer) , Elmer Warner (Guitar) , Earle Warren (Sax (Alto)) , Jack Washington (Sax (Alto)) , Jack Washington (Sax (Baritone)) , Dicky Wells (Trombone) , Arthur Whetsol (Trumpet) , Sonny White (Piano) , James Whitney (Trombone) , Shadow Wilson (Drums) , Milt Yaner (Clarinet) , Milt Yaner (Sax (Alto)) , Paul Ricci (Sax (Tenor)) , Charlie Beal (Piano) , Carl Drinkard (Piano) , Kenneth Hollon (Sax (Tenor)) , Larry Neill (Trumpet) , Chuck Stewart (Cover Photo) , Sammy Benskin (Piano) , Tony Faso (Trumpet) , Earnest Thompson (Sax (Baritone)) , Herbert Cowans (Drums) , Harry Azen (Strings) , Dan d'Andrea (Saxophone) , John Fulton (Clarinet) , John Fulton (Flute) , John Fulton (Sax (Tenor)) , Bernard Kaufman (Sax (Tenor)) , Mike Pingatore (Guitar) , Joe Springer (Piano) , Vartan (Art Direction) , Monty Kelly (Trumpet) , Skip Layton (Trombone) , Jules Levy (Producer) , Andy Engel (Design) , Herman Leonard (Photography) , Elise Bretton (Soprano (Vocal)) , Freddy Guy (Guitar) , Morris Lefkowitz (Violin) , George Mathews (Trombone) , Daniel Perry (Guitar) , Rostelle Reese (Trumpet) , Armand Camgros (Sax (Tenor)) , Jimmy McLin (Guitar) , Ernie Powell (Sax (Tenor)) , Donna Ranieri (Photo Research) , Duncan P. Schiedt (Photography) , John Sparrow (Sax (Tenor)) , Haig Stephens (Bass) , Stanley Payne (Sax (Tenor)) , William Gottlieb (Photography) , Buster Harding (Director) , Ed Lewis (Trumpet) , Jack Cressey (Sax (Alto)) , Barney Josephson (Interviewee) , Edward McConney (Drums) , Pat Nizza (Sax (Tenor)) , George Serloff (Violin) , Miriam Workman (Soprano (Vocal)) , Art Drellinger (Sax (Tenor)) , Nat Allen (Trombone) , Lennie Hartman (Saxophone) , Waddey Williams (Trombone) , Arthur Berstein (Bass) , Ashley Kahn (Liner Notes) , Pat Lawrence (Executive Producer) , Beth Stempel (Production Coordination) , Art Ford (?) , Fred Waller (Director) , King Guion (Saxophone) , Freddie Williams (Sax (Tenor)) , Sol Blumenthal (Strings) , Albert Casey (Guitar) , Ryan Null (Photo Coordination) , John Williams & the Tick Tocks (Bass) , Don Waddilove (Trumpet) , Glenn Barry (Design Producer) , Joe "Cornbread" Thomas (Sax (Tenor)) , Paul Chapman (Guitar) , Ramon Galbert (Product Manager) , Lawrence D. Brown (Trombone) , Tom Mitchell Jr. (Trombone) , Jules Bertaux (Bass) , Charles Jaffe (Violin) , Teddy Walter (Guitar) , Jimmie Baker (Producer) , Blinkie Garner (Drums) , Robert Herridge (Producer) , Robert Herridge (?) , Arthur Lubin (Director) , Holger Madsen (Director) , Frank Siefiels (Violin) , Frede Skaarup (Producer) , Adolph Zukor (Producer)
