Billie Holiday

• 4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

• 180 GRAM HIGH FIDELITY VINYL

This was Billie Holiday's penultimate album, recorded when her body was telling her enough was enough. During the sessions with arranger Ray Ellis she was drinking vodka neat, as if it were tap water. Despite her ravaged voice (the sweetness had long gone), she was still an incredible singer. The feeling and tension she manages to put into almost every track set this album as one of her finest achievements. "You've Changed" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" are high art performances from the singer who saw life from the bottom up.

PERSONNEL:

• Billie Holiday - vocal
• Ray Ellis and his orchestra:
• 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, David Sarcer, 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.

New York, February 19, 1958

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. I'm A Fool To Want You
• A2. For Heaven's Sake
• A3. You Don't Know What Love Is
• A4. I Get Along Without You Very Well
• A5. For All We Know
• A6. Violets For Your Furs

• SIDE B
• B1. You've Changed
• B2. It's Easy To Remember
• B3. But Beautiful
• B4. Glad To Be Unhappy
• B5. I'll Be Around