[strider]

Preferrably in stereo, what's the take on the best albums/versions, etc? Is the Lady in Satin SACD worth it? I've got the MoFi release of Body and Soul and, while great, is in mono. Not too concerned with the era in which it was recorded, I think all the stages of her voice have an appeal for one reason or another.

Thanks!

Ben

[Wally King]

I'm very fond of "All or Nothing at All," a 2-CD set drawn from multiple recording sessions.  Check out some samples:

http://www.amazon.com/All-Nothing-at-Billie-Holiday/dp/B00000470G/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1220036031&sr=1-21

This CD dates from the latter stage of Holiday's career, but her voice is still strong, and she receives stellar support from the likes of Ben Webster and Harry "Sweets" Edison.

And, an added bonus is the very good stereo sound, far better than most Holiday recordinsg.

[Hicks]

I don't know a ton about her, but I really like "Billie's Blues".  It's an excellent recording of a '50s era European concert.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gxfwxq9gldte 

[lcrim]

Sorry to point this out but Billie Holiday recorded in mono.  Historical perspective.  The vinyl featuring her I have is in mono and I actually prefer it.  If you do find CD transfers in stereo they are usually processed  poorly.
I know this sounds a bit snobbish but I truly don't mean it that way,  if you are interested in the great jazz artists of the post WWII era,only vinyl does it right.

[baumer]

How about "Love Songs"? It's the only Billie Holiday CD that i own, but it's fantastic. What a voice!

Doug

[mgalusha]

I don't know how it sounds on CD/SACD but Songs For Distingue Lovers is hands down the best sounding vinyl I have. Acoustic Sounds produced a 45RPM dual record version that had each album side pressed on it's own disc. Hideously expensive but it is stunning. Amazon shows a Verve reissue and it's well reviewed. This was recorded in 1957 and is in stereo, and I believe it was recorded that way originally.

mike

[Sonny]

I do have the Lady in Satin sacd and it's marvelous... the LP is even better!
That's my favorite albums of hers!

[ArthurDent]

I have a two disk compilation, "The Decca Years. 1944-1950", and while it's been a while since I pulled it out I do recall it as being very nice overall. All selections were digitally remastered from what they could find of remaining acetate disk masters & aluminum master backups. It contains a fair bit of info both on Billie, and some on how the originals were recorded. Noting that Decca anyway, did not change to vinyl until after 1950.

Reviewing the contained info I see nowhere that notes it was 'up-mastered' to stereo, nor any labeling as stereo. Now that you've brought it up I'm going to have to slip them in the player and refresh my experience. Worth checking out imo.

[lcrim]

Stereo records are a relatively recent phenomenon. The very first consumer vinyl in stero wasn't released until 1957 and it wasn't mainstream until some years after that.  My point was that any stereo recordings of Billy Holiday were processed from mono.  As mentioned, there are a number of compilations of her recordings that while in mono,  it doesn't detract from their quality.  The early Beatles recordings were made in mono as well, and in both cases the mono originals are superior to whatever "magic" was worked to create stereo.  In any case, the recordings of the artists of that era are best heard in their original format.
BTW:Mike
"Songs for Distingue Lovers"   originally released by Verve had only six songs and was in mono and my copy is not even in very good condition but I still listen to it regularly.

[strider]

Sorry to point this out but Billie Holiday recorded in mono.  Historical perspective.  The vinyl featuring her I have is in mono and I actually prefer it.  If you do find CD transfers in stereo they are usually processed  poorly.
I know this sounds a bit snobbish but I truly don't mean it that way,  if you are interested in the great jazz artists of the post WWII era,only vinyl does it right.

I thought that may be the case, but was feigning ignorance, hoping I was wrong. I've got a few of her titles on vinyl, and as a rule it is my format of choice. I just shook up my system a bit with a couple changes, and haven't found the right combo to get the magic back in my analog front end. The plus side is that I dusted of the CD collection, it's sounding quite good now.

[strider]

I do have the Lady in Satin sacd and it's marvelous... the LP is even better!
That's my favorite albums of hers!

Awesome, thanks. The review at Amazon was quite good but I'm glad to have another opinion.

[jazzcourier]

Most of the Verve/Clef Norman Granz produced titles mentioned above are High Fidelity but the sound of her voice is amazing,it sounds like she is in the room.They are beautifully recorded with stellar bands and great tunes.By the time Stereo became an option her voice was trashed from years of abuse.Just listen to "Lady in Satin" and the lush orchestrations by Ray Ellis draped behind her raspy vocals with just a hint of what made her great.True 20% of Billie's best is a 100% of most.What you really need to do is hear her in all of her majesty,the recordings that built her reputation and influenced every singer that passed in her wake...the recordings,mainly for Vocalion and Columbia in the 1930's,all recorded on 78 rpm and backed by Teddy Wilson and Lester Young.Those records are magic and are a lesson in Jazz singing and phrasing.Paired with tenor saxophonist Lester Young on tunes like "Travlin' all alone" and Getting some fun out of life" and "when you're smiling" rewrote the concept of  Jazz singing and improvisation.These were reissued in the 70's on cd from so so transfers,but the actual 2 lp sets that Columbia produced do not sound bad at all.It is just thrilling to hear the amount of creativity crammed into a less than 3 minute record.Now that was profound focus of artistry,every note is just sheer brilliance.True,you must tune your ears to the 78 sound but the rewards are greater than the "compromise" in sound quality.As much as i enjoy the late period Billie Holiday once you hear the early stuff the later recordings will sound like the last season Willie Mays played for the New York Mets,if you catch my analogy.

[ZLS]

    I could not agree with jazzcourier more.  I bow down to his knowledge and appreciation of great music
There is a notable exception.  There was another thread on Audio Circle that asked how much would you pay for one song?  I will tell you.  I strongly urge you to purchase the CD of the live Television program The Sound Of Jazz.  Billie Holiday performs the song Fine and Mellow.  She is backed by Ben Webster, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Vic Dickenson, and others equally talented.  Billie Holiday herself stated that at the end of her career(and life) that people just came to see if she would fall off the stage.  She was a pale shadow of herself.  There were, however, a few shining moments of which the rendition of Fine And Mellow was the pinnacle where she broke through the abuse, the pain, the damage had been done. 
    I am of the opinion that this performance is the greatest single Jazz song ever recorded; and I am willing to argue that it is the greatest song recorded period. 
    It is that emotionally involving. 
    There is also a DVD of the Sound Of Jazz Program, and to watch Billie Holliday's expression's as she listens to the musicians take their solo's only adds to the appreciation of the song. 
 

[jazzcourier]

That whole "Sound of Jazz" show is pure magic! One of the great filmed performances of Thelonious Monk with Count Basie sitting next to the piano digging the music.I just want to note that the actual Columbia lp/cd was a re-creation done in the studio after the broadcast and is as fine document of that event recorded in the studio.The actual soundtrack of the TV show was released in the late 70's {?} on the Pumpkin label and represents the actual music from the show.There was something different about the Columbia studio lp,maybe it was Mal Waldron subbing for Monk due to his "contract" with Riverside records,and there may have been a few players who did not make the lp due to being on the road but most of the principals are present.The "Sound of Jazz" TV show is essential viewing by all music lovers and in particular a profound reminder of the elegance of Billie Holiday and the respect she garnered among fellow musicians.

[jazzcan]

I also agree with jazzcourier about the Billie recordings.  Billie has always been my favourite vocalist and I have an extensive collection of her recordings.   Her early recordings are incredible.   I recently traded in my early Columbia CDs for the German  remastered 10 CD set "Portrait" which covers her recordings from 1933 through 1948.   

Lady in Satin has always been special to me.   While many of my friends felt that the recording was almost a requiem for a former jazz great, I felt that the record was beautiful onto itself and a significant piece of work. 

But her Verve recordings deserve special attention.  I highly recommend the complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959.  As Buck Clayton said:

"I played trumpet on most of Billie Holiday's early records, at least from '37 on.  Those records are classics.  Everywhere I go, every book I read, every fan I meet tells me that those are her greatest records - and seeig that, along with my work with Count Basie, these recordings helped establish my reputation, I've been inclined to go along with this....I believed that our little team of the Thirties had cut not only Billie Holiday's greated records but the greatest jazz-vocal records ever made......the Verve Records people sent me this blue box [the complete Billie Holiday 1945-1959]...But I was a little stuck up.  I felt without listening to them that they could never match the ones Pres and I made with Lady back in the thirties....I'm afraid I've been cut.  These are the better Billie Holiday records.....These are her greatest records. 

[Tyson]

I just picked this up and I love it - remasters are good, surface noise is present, but the emotion shines through on a good system:

[Tabascosauce]

Sonic-wise, you could do no wrong by seeking out the Steve Hoffman mastered CD of Billie Holiday from the Original Master Tapes.

Very nice sounding CD.

[Tyson]

BTW, remastered Bille is a great test of your system.  If she sounds terrible, then your system sucks (replace it).  If she sounds good, enjoy your nirvana.  Unfortunately the recordings will probably never sound great due to their provenance but one can hope that new technology in the future will let us make that final leap from OK to GREAT sound.