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All I miss is the energy on the live recordings.The studio classics are a little lame.
Overall, this compilation is beautiful and moving, a timeless piece to add to your album collection. You can read the reflections by those artists who were most moved and inspired by her by checking out the jewel case insert. I was first mesmerized by Lady Day's voice and style when I heard "The Very Thought of You" in a movie, and have been under her spell ever since. Her feelings and emotion flow through every lyric and have influenced countless musicians the world around.
If you listen to Columbia's Quintessential Billie Holiday series that came out in 1989, you'll notice that those albums (with the same recordings that are on this CD) had infinitely better sound. It's amazing that such bad remastering work could come from Columbia (and on these legendary recordings, no less).
It's a real shame. I'm surprised that none of the reviewers on this site seem to have noticed the shoddy sound quality on these remasters, but if you compare these recordings to the originals, the difference is glaringly obvious.
Just because a recording is remastered, that doesn't mean it's been remastered well. There's a constant, loud hissing in the background of every track that should NOT be there.
Because if you want to hear the genius of these Billie Holiday recordings, you'll have to dig up the The Quintessential Billie Holiday series from '89 which is pristine, gorgeous, and mostly out of print now. Columbia's remastering of these Billie Holiday recording is a case in point.
Simply put, these remastered versions sound awful.
For me, it was a waste of money. Sound not good. One of her best is the Billie Holiday-Lester Young CD " a musical romance" This is not a good demonstration of Billie Holliday. First, too many songs squeezed into each side.
Has the essentials. Excellent CD. A good purchase if you do not want to buy the box set.
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