Eleanora Fagan, professionally known as Billie Holiday, was an American jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. She was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills.
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Noted in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a "first call" guitarist for studio, film, and television recording sessions. Kessel was a member of the group of session musicians informally known as the Wrecking Crew.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book is a 1964 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, focusing on the songs of Johnny Mercer. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California. This is Fitzgerald's fifth and final collaboration with Riddle during her years on the Verve label.
Tony Bennett on Holiday is a 1997 studio album by Tony Bennett, recorded in tribute to Billie Holiday.
Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics is a 1962 studio album by Carmen McRae, recorded in tribute to McRae's idol, Billie Holiday, who had died two years previously.
Lady in Autumn: The Best of The Verve Years is a compilation album by the singer Billie Holiday.
"Trav'lin' Light" is a 1942 song composed by Trummy Young and Jimmy Mundy with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. When Whiteman and his band arrived at Capitol Records' studio for a recording session, Trummy Young brought along his girl friend, Billie Holiday. Songwriter Johnny Mercer, one of the co-founders of the new label, discovered that Young had a newly written tune with him. Mercer quickly wrote lyrics for it and gave it a title so Holiday could record it with the band. The record label identified the singer as 'Lady Day,' Holiday's nickname, because she was under contract with another label.
"What a Little Moonlight Can Do" is a popular song written by Harry M. Woods in 1934. In 1934, Woods moved to London for three years where he worked for the British film studio Gaumont British, contributing material to several films, one of which was Road House (1934). The song was sung in the film by Violet Lorraine and included an introductory verse, not heard in the version later recorded by Billie Holiday in 1935.
Songs for Distingué Lovers is an album by jazz singer Billie Holiday released in 1957 on Verve Records. It was originally available in both mono, catalogue number MGV 8257, and stereo, catalog number MGVS 6021. It was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles from January 3 to January 9, 1957, and produced by Norman Granz.
All or Nothing at All is a studio album featuring the vocals of Billie Holiday released in 1959 on Verve Records catalog MGV8329. There are 12 songs on the LP taken from five different recording sessions that took place in 1956 and 1957. Holiday was backed by a "relaxed and understanding" small combo which included the trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison and the saxophonist Ben Webster. A 1959 New York Times article noted that Holiday's voice "had become a very limited instrument which she used with the craft and guile of an aging pitcher who can no longer pour his fast one across the plate."
Lady Sings the Blues is an album by American jazz vocalist Billie Holiday released in December 1956. It was Holiday's last album released on Clef Records; the following year, the label would be absorbed by Verve Records. Lady Sings the Blues was taken from sessions taped during 1954 and 1956. It was released simultaneously with her ghostwritten autobiography of the same name.
Buddy Rich Sings Johnny Mercer is a 1956 studio album by Buddy Rich, of the lyrics of Johnny Mercer, arranged by Buddy Bregman. This was the first of three vocal albums that Rich recorded.
The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards is an album by vocalist Joe Williams and pianist/bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label. It was Williams' second album with Basie following Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings.
Billie Holiday at Jazz at the Philharmonic is a live album by jazz singer Billie Holiday, originally recorded on February 12, 1945 and October 3, 1946 at the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and at Carnegie Hall on June 3, 1946.
The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live is a live album by jazz singer Billie Holiday that was recorded on November 10, 1956 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The two concerts promoted Billie Holiday's autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.
White Gardenia is an album by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin with brass and strings which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Riverside label. As a tribute album to jazz singer Billie Holiday, who had died two years earlier, all songs had been sung by her, except for the title track, which is the only original composition by Griffin on the album. The white gardenia was the flower Holiday often wore in her hair. The orchestral arrangements were written by Melba Liston and Norman Simmons.
Lonely and Blue is an album by jazz vocalist Etta Jones which was recorded in 1962 and released on the Prestige label.
Alive! is a 1994 live album by the American jazz singer Carmen McRae recorded at The Village Gate in New York City in 1965. The album consists of two albums originally released on Mainstream Records, Woman Talk (1965), and "Live" and Wailing (1973).
Baker's Holiday is an album of songs associated with Billie Holiday by trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker which was recorded in 1965 and released on the Limelight label.
For Lady Day is an album by saxophonist Zoot Sims recorded in 1978 but not released by the Pablo label until 1991.
