Billie Holiday

"Lady in Satin" marked Billie Holiday’s last big hit and her second to last album ever. It represents something close to her swan song. Although some live recordings made after that Columbia album exist, and she even made a second LP with Ray Ellis for MGM, none of these documents were as enduring as "Lady in Satin".

In fact, Billie herself loved this album, on which she fully impregnates the music with her soul, even though the effects of a lifetime of drug abuse and alcoholism are apparent in her voice. Most jazz fans now consider "Lady in Satin" to be Holiday’s last great effort.

Despite the later acceptance of the album (All Music Guide gives it four and a half stars out of five), the critics at the time, obviously unaware of the fact that the singer had little more than a year more to live, weren’t so generous. Whatever its merits and flaws, there is no doubt that "Lady in Satin" is one of Billie Holiday’s most poignant recordings ever, and a true jazz classic.

BILLIE HOLIDAY, vocals
Ray Ellis and his orchestra

ON TRACKS A2, A3 & B5:
Mel Davis (tp), Urbie Green, Jack Green (tb), Tom Mitchell (b- tb),
Eddie Powell, Romeo Penque, Tom Parshley, Phil Bodner (reeds),
George Ockner, Milton Lomask, Emanuel “Manny” Green, Harry Katzman, Sam Rand, Leo Kruczek, Harry Melnikoff, Harry Hoffman, David Newman (vln),
Sid Brecher, Richard Dickler (viola), David Soyer, Maurice Brown (cello),
Janet Putnam (harp), Bobby Rosengarden (xylophone), Mal Waldron (p),
Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d),
unknown choir, Ray Ellis (arr, cond).
New York, February 18, 1958.

ON TRACKS A1, A5, B2, B3:
Same personnel except Eugene Bergen (vln) replaces Lomask;
Alan Shulman (cello) replaces Brown. New York, February 19, 1958.

ON TRACKS A4, A6, B1, B4 & B6:
Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson (tb), Tom Mitchell (b-tb),
Eddie Powell, Romeo Penque, Tom Parshley, Phil Bodner (reeds),
George Ockner, Eugene Bergen, Max Cahn, Harry Katzman, David Sarcer,
Sam Rand, Leo Kruczek, Felix Giglio, Harry Hoffman, David Newman (vln),
Sid Brecher, Richard Dickler (viola), David Soyer, Maurice Brown (cello),
Janet Putnam (harp), Bradley Spinney (xylophone), Mal Waldron (p),
Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b), Don Lamond (d), unknown choir,
Ray Ellis (arr, cond). New York, February 20, 1958.

SIDE A:

01 I’M A FOOL TO WANT YOU
02 FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE
03 YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
04 I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL
05 FOR ALL WE KNOW
06 VIOLETS FOR YOUR FURS

SIDE B:

01 YOU’VE CHANGED
02 IT’S EASY TO REMEMBER
03 BUT BEAUTIFUL
04 GLAD TO BE UNHAPPY
05 I’LL BE AROUND
06 THE END OF A LOVE AFFAIR