Billie Holiday Lady In Satin CD

Personnel includes: Billie Holiday (vocals); Ray Ellis (conductor); Mel Davis (trumpet); Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson, Tom Mitchell (trombone); Danny Bank, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (woodwinds); George Ockner (violin); David Sawyer (cello); Janet Putnam (harp); Mal Waldron (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Phil Kraus (percussion).
Recorded in New York, New York from February 19-21, 1958. Originally released on Columbia (1157). Includes liner notes by Irving Townsend, Ray Ellis and Phil Schaap.
Personnel includes: Billie Holiday (vocals); Ray Ellis (conductor); Mel Davis (trumpet); Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson, Tom Mitchell (trombone); Danny Bank, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (woodwinds); George Ockner (violin); David Sawyer (cello); Janet Putnam (harp); Mal Waldron (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Phil Kraus (percussion).
Recorded in New York, New York from February 19-21, 1958. Originally released on Columbia (1157).
This is a multi-channel Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players.
Personnel includes: Billie Holiday (vocals); Ray Ellis (conductor); Mel Davis (trumpet); Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson, Tom Mitchell (trombone); Danny Bank, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (woodwinds); George Ockner (violin); David Sawyer (cello); Janet Putnam (harp); Mal Waldron (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Phil Kraus (percussion).
Recorded in New York, New York from February 19-21, 1958. Originally released on Columbia (1157). Includes liner notes by Irving Townsend, Ray Ellis and Phil Schaap.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals); Elise Bretton, Lois, Miriam Workman (vocals, soprano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Janet Putnam (harp); George Ockner (violin); Dave Sawyer (cello); Danny Bank, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (woodwinds); Mel Davis (trumpet); Tommy Mitchell , J.J. Johnson , Urbie Green (trombone); Mal Waldron (piano); Osie Johnson (drums); Phil Kraus (percussion).
Audio Remasterer: Phil Schaap.
Liner Note Authors: Irving Townsend; Phil Schaap; Ray Ellis.
Recording information: 02/19/1958-02/21/1958.
Photographer: Don Hunstein.
Arranger: Ray Ellis.
This is the most controversial of all Billie Holiday records. Lady Day herself said that this session (which finds her accompanied by Ray Ellis' string orchestra) was her personal favorite, and many listeners have found her emotional versions of such songs as "I'm a Fool to Want You," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Glad to Be Unhappy," and particularly "You've Changed" to be quite touching. But Holiday's voice was essentially gone by 1958, and although not yet 43, she could have passed for 73. Ellis' arrangements do not help, veering close to Muzak; most of this record is very difficult to listen to. Late in life, Holiday expressed the pain of life so effectively that her croaking voice had become almost unbearable to hear. There is certainly a wide range of opinion as to the value of this set. [The 1997 CD reissue adds two alternate takes of "I'm a Fool to Want You," part of which were used for the original released rendition, plus the stereo version of "The End of a Love Affair" (only previously released in mono) and examples of Lady Day rehearsing the latter song, including a long unaccompanied stretch.] ~ Scott Yanow
This was her penultimate album, recorded when her body was telling her enough was enough. During the sessions with arranger Ray Ellis she was drinking vodka neat, as if it were tap water. Yet, for all her ravaged voice (the sweetness had long gone) she was still an incredible singer. The feeling and tension she manages to put into almost every track sets this album as one of her finest achievements. 'You've Changed' and 'I Get Along Without You Very Well' are high art performances from the singer who saw life from theNME (Magazine) (8/12/00, p.28) - Ranked #6 in The NME "Top 30 Heartbreak Albums" - "Ray Ellis' orchestra frames [her] ravaged voice to stunning effect....For Holiday, this was her favorite and most personal album."