Billie Holiday Complete Commodore Recordings CD

Personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals); Tab Smith, Lem Davis (alto saxophone); Stan Payne, Kenneth Holon (tenor saxophone); Frankie Newton, Doc Cheatham, Freddie Webster (trumpet); Vic Dickerson (trombone); Sonny White, Eddie Heywood (piano); Jimmy McLin, Teddy Walters (guitar); John Williams, John Simmons (bass); Eddie Dougherty, Sid Catlett (drums).
Producer: Milt Gabler.
Compilation producers: Orrin Keepnews, Joel Dorn.
Recorded in New York, New York on April 20, 1939 and March 25, April 1 & April 8, 1944. Includes liner notes by Stuart Nicholson.
Personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals); Tab Smith, Lem Davis (alto saxophone); Stanley Payne, Kenneth Hollon (tenor saxophone); Frankie Newton, Doc Cheatham (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Sonny White, Eddie Heywood (piano); Jimmy McLin, Teddy Walters (guitar); John Williams, John Simmons (bass); Eddie Dougherty, Sid Catlett (drums).
Recorded in New York, New York between 1939 & 1944. Includes liner notes by J.G. Calvados.
Personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals); Teddy Walters, Jimmy McLin (guitar); Lem Davis, Tab Smith (alto saxophone); Kenneth Hollon (tenor saxophone); Doc Cheatham, Frankie Newton, Freddy Webster (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Eddie Heywood, Sonny White (piano); Eddie Dougherty, Big Sid Catlett (drums).
Liner Note Author: Stuart Nicholson.
Recording information: Broadcasting Studio, New York, NY (04/20/1939-04/08/1944); WOR Recording Studio NYC, NY (04/20/1939-04/08/1944).
Unknown Contributor Role: Kim Munson.
Arranger: Eddie Heywood.
This double-disc issued by Jazz Factory almost completely mirrors the United States issue of the same material entitled THE COMPLETE COMMODORE RECORDINGS, officially issued by Universal in 1997. The material was recorded in 1939 and 1944 by producer Milt Gabler. The original 78 that was "Strange Fruit" b/w "Fine and Mellow," was released by Gabler because Columbia's John Hammond refused to record the song. Holiday was under contract to the label at the time, but Hammond loosed the reins a bit and allowed her the leeway to cut it for Commodore. There are two other sides cut in 1939, and the remainder of these tunes were taped during sessions in 1944 with Holiday backed by the Eddie Heywood Sextet. The material is exactly the same on both collections, but the running order is different, and this one is preferable because it breaks up the different takes chronologically rather than putting them in simple historical order. Either way you go you can't lose, since these are top-notch performances at the very peak of Holiday's power as an artist.
This double-disc issued by Jazz Factory almost completely mirrors the United States issue of the same material entitled The Complete Commodore Recordings, officially issued by Universal in 1997. There are 45 cuts spread across them. The material was recorded in 1939 and 1944 by Milt Gabler. The original 78 that was "Strange Fruit" b/w "Fine and Mellow," was released by Gabler because Columbia's John Hammond refused to record the song. Holiday was under contract to the label at the time, but Hammond loosed the reins a bit and allowed her the leeway to cut it for Commodore. There are two other sides cut in 1939, and the remainder of these tunes were taped during sessions in 1944 with Holiday backed by the Eddie Heywood Sextet. The material is exactly the same on both collections, but the running order is different, and this one is preferable because it breaks up the different takes chronologically rather than putting them in simple historical order. Either way you go you can't lose, since these are top-notch performances at the very peak of Holiday's power as an artist. ~ Thom Jurek
Billie Holiday recorded on four occasions for the Commodore label: once in 1939 (a date that resulted in "Fine and Mellow" and "Strange Fruit") and three sessions in 1944 (dates highlighted by "I Cover the Waterfront," "I'm Yours," "He's Funny That Way," "Billie's Blues," and "On theDown Beat (6/97, p.64) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...the songs were very good and the performances often very moving....these records are so basic to Holiday's work, they remain indispensible..."
JazzTimes (8/97, p.84) - "The release of this two-disc set will come as a welcome closure to Holiday collectors the world over....she instinctively knew when her interpretation of a particular song was `right.' Her alternates are like works in progress..."