Billie Holiday's Best Vinyl Recordings?

Romantic is the best way to describe her!

Billie Holiday is also my favorite. I would recommend these!

SONGS FOR DISINQUE LOVERS

LADY SINGS THE BLUES

LADY IN SATIN

BODY AND SOUL

in addition to the above,

All or Nothing at All

Torch Singer

The Phil Schapp produced Verve Session recordings. If you can find a good copy of the original edition, you will be amazed by the detail taken in making this collection.  Later editions will sound the same, but all the goodies in the first edition make it collectible.

B

Billie's early material(her peak years before addiction took over by the late 50's)

in this 1962 compilation is fantastic. 

Billie Holiday – The Golden Years | Releases | Discogs

I pull mine out now and then.

You guys are the best!

Please keep the recs coming.

"Billie’s early material(her peak years before addiction took over by the late 50’s)"

The collection noted is MONO as is a wealth of great musical content. 

I hope you have given yourself the advantage of a true MONO Cartridge, it can make a small, medium, huge improvement, I’m glad I took advice here and got a Grado ME+.

Grado Mono ME+ $185.

"MONO Cartridge, it can make a small, medium, huge improvement, '

That's a good description of how a mono cart could present itself in one's  own setup.

In this case, it would be interesting to hear what might be missing. These recordings were done in the 30's/40's on 78's with some the BEST  Jazz musicians.

This collection  is a must have for Billie Holliday fans. Included is a booklet with  insight into her dark/tragic life. My 63 year old copy looks and feels like it was printed  yesterday!

From the booklet:

"If you sing Jazz, and you are a woman, you sing some of Billie Holliday. There is no other way to  do it. No vocalist is without  her influence."

Morning coffee, and revisited side from the "Golden Years", and then a much later Verve " All or Nothing at All"

No comparison- after getting a refresher course on Billie's life, you can imagine..a tired, abused and a "going through the motions"  Billie Holliday.🙁

While the actual sonics of the LP are very good(1957 Verve Hi Fi) the Billie Holliday "magic/presence" is missing.

They come in various collections, but the Billie Holiday/Lester Young recordings are a must listen.

As a stylist Billie owes much to Louis, as do all jazz singers.