The Complete Decca Recordings

by

Billie Holiday

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I heard my first Billie Holiday recording in college in the 60s. It was a double LP called "The Billie Holiday Story" on the Decca label, in "enhanced stereo". I fell in love with her voice and bought the album, which I proceeded to play so often that the grooves wore down. So it was with extreme pleasure and anticipation that I read of this CD set, which contains all of the tracks from the LPs, as well as all of Billie's other recordings for Decca. The digital remastering is superb, and to hear the songs in their original monaural sound instead of the "re-channeled" stereo of the LPs is a revelation.

At first, I was tempted to program around the numerous alternate tracks, but as time went on, I was very glad that the producers included everything. Listen to the alternate of "No More", rescued from the MCA Japan vaults; despite substandard sound, the power of Billie's voice comes through, with nuances which make it quite different from the recording which was released. It's fascinating to hear the four takes of "Big Stuff", a show tune by Leonard Bernstein, as Billie finally manages to make it her own.

And of course all her truly great recordings from this era are here: "Lover Man," "Solitude", "My Man", and more. The package includes extensive notes and recording information. This is an outstanding and loving tribute to one of the greatest singers of the 20th century.

I agree during this period (1940s) Billie Holiday was at her vocal peak. I feel critics have overrated this collection mostly due to the fact Billie Holiday's voice was still in good shape and the effects of her drug addiction hadn't yet taken effect. When she switched labels, the folks over at Decca were trying to mold and shape her into the next Peggy Lee or Doris Day, making her into a more mainstream model than what she had been in the 1930s. The arrangements (full size orchestras, syrupy strings, background vocals, etc.) don't always work. Sometimes they clash w/ Billie's delicate voice. Billie is still best suited by a trio combo or just a piano. At least the new label was going for a different sound and approach than what she was getting at Columbia. It just didn't work for her. Fortunately for Billie, she overcomes the arrangements w/ wondrous phrasing and choice of great songs, some of them indeliby linked w/ her--God Bless the Child, Good Morning Heartache, Loverman, Ain't Nobody's Business, That Ol Devil Called Love.....