Recent Links :: 16 August 2015

Cannonball Adderley: At Jazz Backstory, Monk Rowe remembers the day that Cannonball Adderley died.

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi recaps the recent Satchmo Summerfest.

Miles Davis: Andy Cush discusses Sony Pictures Classics' acquisition of "Miles Ahead," Don Cheadle's biopic of Miles Davis at Defamer. Miles Davis Online has a similar story.

Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross: According to JazzTimes, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross will appear at Birdland in New York on September 16.

Billie Holiday: Night Lights looks at Billie Holiday's recordings with Verve in the 1950s.

Earl Hines: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a clip of Earl Hines performing on Ralph J. Gleason's "Jazz Casual" TV show in 1963.

Jaco Pastorius: According to JazzTimes, "Jaco," the documentary about the life of bassist Jaco Pastorius, will be released in August, and streaming will begin in November.

Oscar Peterson: At Today Is the Question, Ted Panken shares an interview with Oscar Peterson from 2002.

Oscar Peterson: Peter Hum discusses "the timeless appeal of Oscar Peterson" at The Ottawa Citizen.

Oscar Peterson: Peter Hum also talks with several Canadian jazz pianists who remember Oscar Peterson at The Ottawa Citizen.

Oscar Peterson: On August 15, his birthday, Oscar Peterson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Oscar Peterson: According to ArtDaily.org, Sotheby’s and Warner Music Denmark has announced the sale of a single-issue album, Take Me Home, by the Oscar Peterson Legacy Quartet, to take place on September 29.

Robert
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RIP, Billie Holiday (1915-1949)

Jazz singer Billie Holiday died from pulmonary edema and heart failure caused by cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959, in New York City.  Her funeral mass was held at Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City, and she was buried in Saint Raymonds Cemetery in the Bronx.

According to critic John Bush, Holiday was the "first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, [and she] changed the art of American pop vocals forever." Len Lyons said that Holiday "could transform the most banal pop ballad into a painfully intense, subtle work of art." In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends the album, The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia). Unfortunately, this album is not available in CD or MP3 format.

Instead, Jim Determan recommends several alternatives, including the 10-CD set and the 2-CD set listed below:

• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944 (Sony, 10 CDs)
• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony, 2 CDs)

Holiday sings "The Man I Love" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 9 June 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Terry Teachout's play about Louis Armstrong, "Satchmo at the Waldorf."

Art Ensemble of Chicago: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey shares a clip of the Art Ensemble of Chicago playing at the 1991 Berlin Jazzfest.

Anthony Braxton: Hrayr Attarian reviews Anthony Braxton's album, Trio And Duet, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Anthony Braxton: On June 4, his birthday, Anthony Braxton was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Anthony Braxton, Max Roach: New Jazz United shares a clip of Anthony Braxton and Max Roach playing "Birth." (The song is available on the album, Birth and Rebirth, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Mick Carlon reviews the book, The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington, at JazzTimes. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: At JazzTimes, Nate Chinen discusses the Billie Holiday centennial.

Jelly Roll Morton: According to JazzTimes, ASCAP will induct Jelly Roll Morton into the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame in June.

Art Tatum: New Jazz United shares a clip of Art Tatum playing "A Foggy Day" with the Buddy de Franco Quartet. (The song is available on the album, Art Tatum — Buddy de Franco Quartet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 23 April 2015

Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the best jazz vocal albums from 1917 through 1950. These include:

• Louis Armstrong, This Is Jazz, Vol. 23: Louis Armstrong Sings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Ella Fitzgerald, The Legendary Decca Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Billie Holiday, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Billie Holiday, The Complete Decca Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bessie Smith, The Essential Bessie Smith. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ornette Coleman, John McLaughlin: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the best jazz guitar albums. These include:

• John McLaughlin, Extrapolation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman, Song X. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ella Fitzgerald, Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert, Carmen McRae, Annie Ross, Sarah Vaughan: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the best jazz vocal albums from 1951 through 1968. These include:

• Ella Fitzgerald, The Complete Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, The Hottest New Group in Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Carmen McRae, Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sarah Vaughan, Sarah Vaughan. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: John Fordham shares a clip of Billie Holiday singing "Lover Man" at The Guardian.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 9 April 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Armstrong's 1930 recording of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me." (The song is available on the album, The Big Band Sides, 1930-1932, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The Riverbender reports that the ground has been broken for a statue of Miles Davis in Alton, Illinois.

Billie Holiday: Jazz singer Hilary Gardner discusses the influence of Billie Holiday at her blog, Hilary Gardner: Ad Alta Voce.

Billie Holiday: NPR's Fresh Air jazz critic Kevin Whitehead shares his thoughts on Billie Holiday's style and influence.

Billie Holiday: At NPR's Jazz Night in America, John McDonough discusses Billie Holiday, calling her "a singer beyond our understanding."

Billie Holiday: The Booklist Reader shares a list of books about Billie Holiday.

Billie Holiday: Chris Robinson reflects on Billie Holiday at cuepoint.

Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, the Philadelphia Music Alliance will celebrate Billie Holiday's centennial and make the singer the first 2015 inductee on the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.

Billie Holiday: On April 7, her birthday, Billie Holiday was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Carmen McRae: On her birthday, April 8, Carmen McRae was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Wes Montgomery: Resonance Records announces the release of a 26-track collection of Wes Montgomery tracks from 1949 to 1958. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Fats Waller: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses Fats Waller as a jazz singer and shares a video of "I'm Always in the Mood for You."

Robert
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Recent Links :: 7 April 2015

Chick Corea: Yamaha features a video of Chick Corea discussing his piano playing.

Miles Davis: The In the Groove podcast looks at Miles Davis's development of fusion.

Miles Davis: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, the staff list the best Miles Davis albums.

Billie Holiday: At The New Yorker, Richard Brody reviews John Szwed’s new book, Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: Gary G. Vercelli remembers Billie Holiday at Capital Public Radio.

Billie Holiday: Open Culture shares four videos of Billie Holiday on April 7, the 100th anniversary of her birthday.

Wes Montgomery: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht quotes rock guitar legend Pete Townshend on Wes Montgomery.

Jaco Pastorius: According to Rolling Stone, Metallica's bass player, Robert Trujillo, is producing a documentary about the life of the late jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius.

Sun Ra: An article on Afrofuturism by Ashley Clark in The Guardian calls Sun Ra "a key player" for his only feature film, "Space is the Place." (Purchase the DVD from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Billie Holiday

Jazz singer Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Lady Day," as she was known, was (according to critic John Bush) the "first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, [and she] changed the art of American pop vocals forever."

Len Lyons said that Holiday "could transform the most banal pop ballad into a painfully intense, subtle work of art." In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends the album, The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia). Unfortunately, this album is not available in CD or MP3 format.

Instead, Jim Determan recommends several alternatives, including the 10-CD set and the 2-CD set listed below:

• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944 (Sony, 10 CDs), available from Amazon.com.
  
• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony, 2 CDs), available from Amazon.com.

Holiday sings one of her best known songs, "God Bless the Child," here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 30 March 2015

Bill Evans: At All About Jazz, Nathan Holaway lists the best jazz albums featuring Bill Evans as a sideman.

Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Horace Silver, Art Tatum: Marc Myers lists his favorite jazz piano albums for newcomers to the genre at JazzWax. These include:

• Bill Evans, At Town Hall. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Strictly Bud Powell. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Horace Silver, Horace Silver Trio. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Art Tatum, Solo Masterpieces Vol. 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae: Marc Myers lists his favorite jazz vocal albums for newcomers to the genre at JazzWax. These include:

• Ella Fitzgerald, The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Billie Holiday, Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia - 1933-1944. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Carmen McRae, Eight Classic Albums. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: New Jazz United shares a video of Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan playing "Straight No Chaser." (The song is available on the album, Mulligan Meets Monk, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 26 March 2015

John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins: At All About Jazz, C. Michael Bailey lists his ten best live jazz recordings from 1953 to 1965, including:

• John Coltrane, Live at Birdland.
• John Coltrane, At the Village Vanguard.
• Miles Davis, At The Plugged Nickel.
• Duke Ellington, At Newport 1956.
• Bill Evans, At the Village Vanguard.
• Erroll Garner, Concert by the Sea.
• Charles Mingus, At Antibes.
• Wes Montgomery, At The Half Note.
• The Quintet, At Massey Hall.
• Sonny Rollins, At the Village Vanguard.

Miles Davis: All About Jazz reviews Listen to This, Victor Svorinich's book about Miles Davis's 1969 album, Bitches Brew. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: St. Louis Jazz Notes has several short news items about Miles Davis.

Duke Ellington: Peter Blasevick shares links to two interviews with Duke Ellington at The Notes You Don't Play.

Duke Ellington: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses the restoration of three Duke Ellington films: "Black and Tan Fantasy," "Symphony in Black," and "Bundle of Blues."

Billie Holiday: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a video of John Hammond's 1978 CBC interview, talking about “discovering” Billie Holiday.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 23 March 2015

George Benson: On March 22, his birthday, George Benson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Art Blakey: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Art Blakey album, Orgy in Rhythm, Volumes 1 and 2. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, Nenad Georgievski discusses the iconic Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, Mark Sabbatini lists the best Bill Evans albums.

Benny Goodman: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares videos of Benny Goodman at Disneyland in 1961.

Billie Holiday: According to JazzTimes, Billie Holiday will be inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame in April 2015.

Wayne Shorter: Charles L. Latimer reviews a Wayne Shorter concert in Detroit at I Dig Jazz.

Cecil Taylor: Burning Ambulance shares videos of Cecil Taylor from performances in 1983.

McCoy Tyner: In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond features McCoy Tyner.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 16 February 2015

Eubie Blake: On his birthday, February 7, Eubie Blake was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Chick Corea: As reported in JazzTimes, the Grammy Awards for jazz were announced on February 8. Winners included Chick Corea for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, "Fingerprints," and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Trilogy. (The song is available on the album, Trilogy, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: Curt's Jazz Cafe previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, including Chick Corea's "Fingerprints." Curt's Jazz Cafe also previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, including Chick Corea's Trilogy.

Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a 1976 radio interview with Bill Evans.

Duke Ellington: At Air & Space, Richard Jurek writes about Duke Ellington’s 10-minute vocal ode to the first moon landing and provides a video of Ellington's performance.

Bill Evans: Marc Myers shares the first draft of Bill Evans's liner notes for the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue, at JazzWax.

Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Lester Young: Brilliant Corners features clips of "8 Cats Who Make it Look Easy," including Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Lester Young.

Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, Legacy Recordings will celebrate Billie Holiday's 100th birthday by releasing The Centennial Collection, 20 Essential Lady Day Recordings, on March 31, 2015. JazzTimes shares the track list from the album.

Carmen McRae: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Carmen McRae's 1957 album, Carmen for Cool Ones. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At Nextbop, Sebastien Helary provides a full concert video of Wayne Shorter's performance at the 2014 Stockholm Jazz Festival. (Note that the video expires on February 18, 2015.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 21 January 2015

Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong looks at the January 1925 recording session with Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith.

Miles Davis: At The Free Jazz Collective, Ed Pettersen reviews the Miles Davis Quintet's album, All of You: The Last Tour 1960. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: The Jazz Line reports that New York’s highest court, the State Court of Appeals, has denied Duke Ellington‘s heirs the right to retry a lawsuit against EMI Music Publishing.

Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: JazzTimes shares the results of its 2014 Readers' Poll. Winners include:

• Best book: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock with Lisa Dickey (Viking). (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Best composer: Wayne Shorter.

Billie Holiday: At In These Times, Johann Hari recounts Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and his "war" on Billie Holiday. The same story is told at Politico.

Charlie Parker: Open Culture discusses Ode to a Highflying Bird, Rolling Stone's drummer Charlie Watts's children’s book about Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from AbeBooks.)

Sun Ra: At The Free Jazz Collective, Martin Schray discusses the Sun Ra album, Sign of the Myth. (Purchase the album in vinyl from Amazon.com.)

Bessie Smith: The Jazz Line reports that Queen Latifah "had no idea who Bessie Smith was" when she was approached about playing the singer in a biopic.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 11 January 2015

Cannonball Adderley, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Bud Powell: At Night Lights, David Brent Johnson lists the best historical jazz releases of 2014, including:

• Cannonball Adderley, Black Messiah. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong, Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings. (Purchase the box set from Mosaic Records.)
• John Coltrane, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Live At The Fillmore: Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery, Live At The Turf Club. (Purchase the album in vinyl from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Birdland 1953. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Live at the Blue Note Café, Paris 1961. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

George Benson: W. Royal Stokes provides a list of books on jazz and blues published "in the past year or so." These include Benson: The Autobiography (Da Capo Press) by George Benson and Alan Goldsher. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Bix Beiderbecke: Marc Myers shares a 2-hour 1981 documentary on Bix Beiderbecke at JazzWax.

Billie Holiday: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Helen Merrill and Billie Holiday singing "You Go to My Head" in 1956. He follows it up at JazzWax with an interview with Helen Merrill in which she discusses Billie Holiday.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 30 October 2014

Count Basie: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Count Basie's piano technique and shares a video of the Count Basie Quartet on Ralph J. Gleason's "Jazz Casual" television show in August 1968.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of "There Is No Greater Love," by the Miles Davis Quintet. (The song is available on the album, Miles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online provides the latest update on Don Cheadle's biopic about Miles Davis.

Herbie Hancock: On NPR's Morning Edition, Steve Inskeep interviews Herbie Hancock about his memoir, Possibilities. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: Howard Mandel reports at Jazz Beyond Jazz that Herbie Hancock received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Foundation of America in October.

Billie Holiday: Brilliant Corners shares a link to a radio theatre piece about Billie Holiday's iconic song, "Strange Fruit."

Wayne Shorter: New Jazz United shares a video of the Wayne Shorter tune, "Juju." (The song is available on the album, Juju, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 9 October 2014

Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday's only recording session.

John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a clip of John Coltrane performing "Say It (Over and Over Again)." (The song is available on the album, Ballads, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner: Jerry Jazz Musician asked several jazz musicians and critics to list their three or four favorite jazz albums of the 1960s. There are too many albums to list here, but to take just one example, critic John Goodman listed:

• Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans, Waltz for Debbie. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk, Live at the It Club. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: Kris Needs has a two-part guide to the albums of Sun Ra at Perfect Sound Forever: Part I and Part II.

Sun Ra: At The Free Jazz Collective, Martin Schray has a multi-part article on Sun Ra, including a review of the album, Sun Ra Arkestra: Live in Ulm 1992. Part 1; Part 2; and Part 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 16 September 2014

John Coltrane: At The Daily Beast, Ted Gioia speculates on what John Coltrane might have achieved had he not died at age 40.

Duke Ellington: According to BillboardBiz, New York's highest court will hear arguments by Duke Ellington's heirs, who are attempting to reinstate their lawsuit against publisher EMI and are seeking half the royalties from the foreign sales of Ellington's music.

Bill Evans, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Art Tatum: At Amazon.com, Charlie Haden provides his "list of music you should hear." Included are several jazz albums and pieces:

• Bill Evans: Sunday at the Village Vanguard. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: The track "Kim" from the 10-CD box set Bird: Complete Charlie Parker on Verve. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell: Jazz Giant. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Art Tatum: Piano Starts Here: Live at the Shrine. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday, Annie Ross: Downbeat provides an interview with Annie Ross, who discusses her album in memory of Billie Holiday, To Lady With Love.

Robert
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RIP, Billie Holiday (1915-1949)

Jazz singer Billie Holiday died from pulmonary edema and heart failure caused by cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959, in New York City.  Her funeral mass was held at Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City, and she was buried in Saint Raymonds Cemetery in the Bronx.

According to critic John Bush, Holiday was the "first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, [and she] changed the art of American pop vocals forever." Len Lyons said that Holiday "could transform the most banal pop ballad into a painfully intense, subtle work of art." In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends the album, The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia). Unfortunately, this album is not available in CD or MP3 format.

Instead, Jim Determan recommends several alternatives, including the 10-CD set and the 2-CD set listed below:

• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944 (Sony, 10 CDs)
• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony, 2 CDs)

Holiday sings "The Man I Love" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 13 April 2014

Louis Armstrong: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman shares a clip of Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra playing "I Got Rhythm."

Anthony Braxton: At The New York Review of Books, Seth Colter Walls discusses Anthony Braxton's opera cycle, "Trillium."

Duke Ellington: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of the Duke Ellington Orchestra playing "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" in Amsterdam in 1958.

Coleman Hawkins: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a clip of Coleman Hawkins playing in Denmark in 1968 and shares Witney Balliett's observations on Hawkins.

Billie Holiday: On April 7, her birthday, Billie Holiday was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Carmen McRae: On April 8, her birthday, Carmen McRae was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Sonny Rollins: According to Terri Hinte at All About Jazz, Sonny Rollins's album, Road Shows, Vol. 3 will be released May 6 by Doxy/Okeh/Sony Music Masterworks. (Pre-order the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Billie Holiday

Jazz singer Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Lady Day," as she was known, was (according to critic John Bush) the "first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, [and she] changed the art of American pop vocals forever."

Len Lyons said that Holiday "could transform the most banal pop ballad into a painfully intense, subtle work of art." In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends the album, The Billie Holiday Story, Vol. 2 (Columbia). Unfortunately, this album is not available in CD or MP3 format.

Instead, Jim Determan recommends several alternatives, including the 10-CD set and the 2-CD set listed below:

• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944 (Sony, 10 CDs), available from Amazon.com.
  
• Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday (Sony, 2 CDs), available from Amazon.com.

Holiday sings one of her best known songs, "God Bless the Child," here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 2 March 2014

Louis Armstrong: At JazzWax, Marc Myers interviews Terry Teachout about his play, "Satchmo at the Waldorf."

Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Blue Note Records will release 100 remastered jazz albums, beginning on March 25 with:

• Art Blakey’s Free For All
• John Coltrane’s Blue Train
• Eric Dolphy’s Out To Lunch
• Wayne Shorter’s Speak No Evil

John Coltrane: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews the John Coltrane compilation, Out of This World. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: Take the "A" Train shares photos of Billie Holiday taken in 1949 by the American essayist, novelist and photographer, Carl Van Vechten.

Keith Jarrett: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Arbour Zena. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bud Powell: New Jazz United shares a clip of Bud Powell playing "Get Happy."

Robert
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