Billie Holiday: The Essential Billie Holiday - Carnegie Hall Concert (180g) [WAX TIME]

Why you'll love it

This Wax Time edition comes on 180g vinyl in a gatefold jacket. Norman Granz first issued the concert on Verve in 1961, and it catches Holiday in better form than in her last years, according to Nat Hentoff, who was in the hall.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Gatefold jacket

About the album

Most book launches involve a glass of wine and a short reading. Billie Holiday's had two sets at Carnegie Hall, with New York Times writer Gilbert Millstein reading from Lady Sings the Blues between the songs and a band that could have headlined on its own. Two sets, two line-ups and a packed hall make it the nearest thing on record to a night out with her.

Carl Drinkard, Kenny Burrell, Carson Smith and Chico Hamilton make up the rhythm section, with Roy Eldridge and Coleman Hawkins on the first set and Buck Clayton, Al Cohn and Tony Scott on the second. She opens with the title song of her book and moves through "Billie's Blues," "Body and Soul," "Don't Explain," "My Man" and "Fine and Mellow," ending on a bright "What a Little Moonlight Can Do." The soloists step in behind her with warm, generous lines and never crowd the vocal.

Hentoff's liner notes called her "undeniably the best and most honest jazz singer alive." Better seats than this have never been on offer at the price.

Also at Kops: more Billie Holiday on vinyl · browse Vocal Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Wax Time (cat# WaxTime 772327), a reissue of the 1961 live album.