The Billie Holiday Songbook (1993)

About this title: Billie Holiday songbook CDs have become a major marketing tool, but trumpeter Terence Blanchard's most recent effort is so magnificently performed and engineered that it defies any attempts at being cynically lumped into a trend. He plays soothing, appealing ballads, anguished uptempo tunes and wonderful melodies on muted and open horn, cleanly and fully hitting high and low notes, while executing mellow or intense statements smoothly and with flair. Guest vocalist Jeanie Bryson isn't overwhelmed by the task of singing immortal compositions previously made anthems by a legend. She won't make ... read more

Tracks:

1. Detour Ahead [Carter/Ellis/Freigo]
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It [Gershwin/Gershwin]
3. In My Solitude [DeLange/Ellington]
4. What a Little Moonlight Can Do [Woods]
5. Good Morning Heartache [Drake/Fisher/Higgin]
6. I Cried for You [Arnheim/Freed/Lyman]
7. Don't Explain [Herzog/Holiday]
8. Fine and Mellow [Holiday]
9. I Cover the Waterfront [Green/Heyman]
10. Left Alone [Holiday/Waldron]
11. Strange Fruit [Allan]
12. Lady Sings the Blues [Holiday/Nichols]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.