Editorial Review

This CD includes material from two fine small-group sessions recorded in 1955 and '56, with arrangements provided by clarinetist Tony Scott and excellent support from trumpeter Charlie Shavers, tenorist Budd Johnson, and a young Kenny Burrell on guitar. The standards of the first session come alive with Holiday's ability to bring complex shadings to familiar material, while the later session includes some of her most personal and emotionally charged material. Her voice has a searing intensity on the late recording of "Strange Fruit," and there are powerful versions of "God Bless the Child" and "Lady Sings the Blues," songs written with Holiday's own lyrics. The CD concludes with an intimate view of Lady Day at work, a 15-minute rehearsal tape of her working through "God Bless the Child" with Scott at the piano. Read more

Reviews (6)

Beleive it -- this album is a must for Billie fans.
I recently acquired this album and though it has the basic Billie repertoire I am really impressed by the arrangements and the new life Bilie is bringing to her old classics.Billie has come full circle in this album accompanied by great muscians -- it had me mesmerized.Billies' singing has lifted up my spirits and Idon't like to critic and hope this review will make the future buyer of this album experience what I experienced.The trumpet and the piano and the sax and Billie is the best.

Ah, the Verve years
Yes, this is a fantastic release, but my biggest complaint is the songs are not in the same order as the original release (cd or lp), so if you rearrange them to be in their proper order, it's fine, but why would they rearrange the tracks?A bad mistake, one which, in my opinion, keeps this from a 5 star rating.I'm of the opinion that Holiday's Verve (high) years were her best, and, of course, there are two camps in this 'argument' so we'll have to agree to disagree.The Verve years have always been, and always will be, my personal favorite.Nothing like this early in the morning with your favorite cup of java.

A Curiosity
I would have to take strong exception to the notion that Billie's late period is her best. She gets so much emotion out of a song that the added "drama" of her increasingly troubled life and waning pipes becomes, at best, superfluous and, at worst, a distraction. Nevertheless, this 1956 collection, one of Verve's "Desert Island Discs," has much to offer, particularly her singularly affecting interpretation of Dorothy Parker's "I Wished on the Moon" (taken at a slower tempo than on her other recordings and with the inclusion of the song's verse). Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Jazz Music    5. Jazz Vocals    6. Pop    7. Swing    8. Traditional Pop    9. Vocal Jazz   

Editorial Review

A budget-priced box set, Read more

Features

• Box set
• Import

Reviews (2)

Buy it With Confidence
This boxed set provides an excellent opportunity to add breadth to any blues collection. It's also an oustanding bargain at the price.
What A Treasure
This Box set is a treasure.Great collection of early recorded blues.Fantastic! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Acoustic Memphis Blues    4. Blues    5. Blues Collections    6. Blues Revival    7. Boogie-Woogie    8. Box Sets (Audio Only)    9. Classic Female Blues    10. Country Blues    11. Delta Blues    12. East Coast Blues    13. Electric Blues    14. Piano Blues    15. Piedmont Blues    16. Pop    17. Prewar Blues    18. Prewar Country Blues    19. Slide Guitar Blues    20. Stride   

Reviews (2)

From the Soul
Once in a great while a singer comes along that moves your emotions with her songs. Her voice is dynamic and captivating. Great Gospel and Blues Singers
An NPR recording introduced me to Irma Thomas.Once I knew of her, she kept reappearing in other contexts - a folk and blues anthology, with Marcia Ball and Tracy Nelson ... and, of course, on her own recordings. The range of her recordings and artists recording with her are a tribute toher musicianship.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gospel    2. New Orleans R&B    3. Pop    4. R&B    5. Soul    6. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

Koko Taylor is the undisputed queen of Chicago blues vocals, and this record is her first since 1993's Read more

Reviews (13)

****1/2. A great comeback
2000's "Royal Blue" is Koko Taylor's first Alligator album in seven years. It is a tough and very well-arranged collection of blues and R&B, and the overall quality of the material is very high...there really isn't a bad song to be found.
Still the Queen
Have you read the review beneath this one? Geez!
A GREAT cd, Kok has gained a quality in her vocie!!!
For the emty headed bozo who wrote the ignorant review "Not a member of the 'mutual admiration society'", 1st of all there isn't a mutual admiratio nsociety, and blues reviewers, at leats professional ones liek me, are nOT getting paid to plug cd's, only hateful and vengeful idiots would even think that.It's just that with blues artists, it's not liek reviewing pop music, because blues is not or at least it shouldn't be commercial, it's art, so no, there are not too many bad releases, and Koko has if anything gained something in her voice, that makes it become more appeallign each year.Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Chicago Blues    4. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    5. Pop    6. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

Originally released in the late '70s, this studio session paired Etta James with the great Atlantic Records soul-music producer Jerry Wexler and dipped into an eclectic songbook that included Erma Franklin's "Piece of My Heart" as well as British songbird Kiki Dee's "Sugar on the Floor." James transformed the latter from treacle into a touching essay on heartache and loss. Even the Eagles' "Take It to the Limit" becomes a testimonial to the strength of human endurance under James's gospel-inspired command, which leads her to rework a phrase until every possible meaning becomes apparent. She takes this material to its artistic heights, showing the marks of a truly inspired performer. Read more

Reviews (5)

Classic Etta
The ingredients that make this such a great CD are the powerful vocals of Etta James, a tight group of musicians, talented backing vocals, some great songs, and all under the masterful hand of Jerry Wexler. Etta has a controlled thunderous voice, powerful but never screeching or overreaching. She does a definitive version of Piece of My Heart. Sorry Janis, but this lady sings without the histrionics. The songs set the narrative for a woman dealing with despair, defiance, vunerability, and love. Only Women Bleed is a raw, uncomfortable and too personal experience. She takes us to church to testify with an electrifying choir on Strange man. Deep in the night takes us to that lonely experience at 3:00 in the morning thinking back on past loves. Blind Girl tells of that desperate attempt to ignore the truth and hang on to a cheating lover. Etta can wring such emotion from that roller coaster song of truth and illusion. I admit, Sugar on the Floor I do not really get. If I could choose just one Etta James CD, this would be it. She teamed up once more with Jerry Wexler for Right Time, but somehow the magic was not there.

SOULFUL&DEEP
Albums Like this Showcase The Richness&QUality that is Etta James.Her Voice can Tackle any Style&Add Another New Flavor to it.This Record is Very Soulful&Spirited.Very Essential.

At long last---released on CD!!!
I had this LP in the 70's and it was stolen from me during college in 1984.It turned me on to Etta, whose work is marvelous.I've had these tunes in my head for 14 years and am ecstatic thatthis great collectionhas been reissued on CD."I would rather be a blind girl/than to seeyou walk away"--can't wait to get this CD!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Pop    4. R&B    5. Soul-Blues   

Reviews (1)

Black Pearls
A perfect introduction to now-forgotten period of music,when women were the first blues stars,this CD is also great company for a book "Black Pearls:Blues Queens of the 1920's" by Daphne Duvall Harrison.While in the book we could find historical and economical background that shaped women like Bessie Smith,Ma Rainey and Ida Cox,on this CD we can hear their voices - through the limitations of primitive recording equipment,spirit of Mamie Smith explodes in our ears from 1920.when her hit "Crazy Blues" started avalanche of blues recordings and opened a door for a new market,as then unknown teritory of "race music" whose first pioneers were women.It's interesting to compare this women to their white sisters from the same era (check "Flappers,Vamps And Sweet Young Things") - while white singers lived and performed in far better circumstances,their songs and type of singing sounds comical today as opposite to these wonderful black singers whose music left beautiful afterglow that still shines,a century later.Of course,at that time they did not know that today we will considered them artists,they were "loose women" condemned by church,often on the road,living hard life and paying their fame with a price of not having family.Popularity of this first blues singers lasted only 10 years and then they were washed away by depression which succesfully destroyed recording bussines for some time,but songs survived until present day - check wonderful Ma Rainey (whose importance as "the mother of the blues" is introduced here by 3 songs!) and Bessie Smith;compare them to other singers and hear for yourself why these two women are called "Mother" and "Empress",why their music overshadowed other contemporaries...Young Louis Armstrong could also be heard here in the full glory of his New Orleans years.Compilation ends with touching example of late Billie Holiday in the autumn of her life - althought swing era singer,Billie actually grew up listening to these women and would often quotte their old verses in her blues songs.Lyrics of her "Stormy Monday" originally could be heard on Clara Smith (Bessie's biggest compentition) 1923."I Never Miss The Sunshine (I'm So Used To The Rain"). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20's    2. 30's    3. 40's    4. Acoustic Blues    5. Blues    6. Blues Music    7. Blues Traditional Collections    8. Classic Female Blues    9. Classic Jazz    10. Cool    11. Dixieland    12. New Orleans Jazz    13. Piano Blues    14. Pop    15. Prewar Blues    16. Standards    17. Swing    18. Traditional Pop   

Editorial Review

"I used to be a sweetie/And I barely stayed alive," Candye Kane announces on the opening title track of Read more

Reviews (18)

Girl Gotta be Tough!
It is an absolute shame that a talent like Candye Kane's is overlooked in favor of the tripe that rules the airwaves, either radio or television. Candye is a thousand percent better than anything out there. Moreover, she is the most humorous & sincere woman I've ever seen, heard or met.
The best 200+ lb. bisexual porn star singer around
If you don't know Candye Kane, you're missing some terrific music.She's unique, of course, but think Grace Slick singing Janis Joplin songs with a swing band and you're not too far off.All her CDs are worthy; Toughest Girl Alive is my favorite.Play it loud.

99% red hot rockabilly singing!
Most of Candye Kane's cd's have a varierty of blues, jump blues, swing, jazz, and rockabilly.Her voice is similar to Janis Martin or Ruth Brown of teh 50's.She really has a retro sound, very authebtic, in particular this cd "Toughest Gal Alive" has a lot of rockabilly style vocals.At times she sort of squeels in a high pitched voice at the end of a phrase teh way Wanda Jackson did in her classic rockabilyl 50's sides.Candye does a few jump blues, but this is teh cd for a rockabilyl fan to get, of all of Candye's cd's.the toughesy Girl Alive is particular is a rockabilly new classic track.This cd si very appealing and sounds as if it were recorded in teh 1954-56 period of swingin rockin' blues.great music, and I'm 23 years old, and I love it ,and so do all my other pompadour wearing Elvis look alike rockabilly greaser friends, we all love Candye. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues-Rock    4. Contemporary Blues    5. Jump Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Pop    8. Vocals   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (1)

A must-have boxed set of the Mother of Modern Music
Proper Records provides an extensive collection of Bessie Smith recordings that is well worth the money.The sound quality is great, especially considering that this set of Bessie's recordings dates from 1923 thru 1933.These tracks recorded for Columbia (and several later on Okeh) may include most of her recordings, if not all of them (but not her duets with Clara Smith).The booklet provides track details as well as an essay about Bessie's Life & recording career, which explains that her last recordings were made in 1933, four years before her untimely death in 1937.Listening to this collection makes it clear why Bessie Smith is considered the "Empress of the Blues"; she should also be regarded as the Mother of Modern Music. [Note: my "Chattanooga Gal" boxed set did not include the 48 page booklet, only a Proper Records catalogue.I emailed the company about this and they sent the booklet via post office mail] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Traditional    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Classic Jazz    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Trad Jazz    8. Vaudeville Blues   

Reviews (8)

Eerie but somehow pleasant
Let's not kid ourselves - compared with her best years, this album is nothing more than a spooky reminder. However, Holiday uses what little was left of her voice with surprising dexterity, making this strange CD somehow pleasant and historically interesting. Arragements are OK, with Harry Edison, Al Cohn and others giving fine support.
Listen With Your Heart and Billie Still Strikes a BULLSEYE, Also Did You Know.....
Billie Holiday's "THE LAST RECORDING" often draws comparisons to her more well-known "LADY IN SATIN" since both were recorded within a year and a half before her death.Both revoke sadness and (dare I say) pity for an artist known her her revolutionary sound and style.Just as Ray Ellis (the same producer who made "LADY IN SATIN") said earlier, "you have to listen with your emotions and then you realize the LADY still got IT!"
Voice and health diminished, Billie was still a great singer
I must correct another reviewer, who suggested that Billie was an "older woman" at the time of these, her final studio recordings made four months before her death.To (mis-)use a lyric from a song she interpreted so well, while Billie certainly sounds old, it's easy to forget (and frightening to remember) that she was just shy of her 44th birthday at the time.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Jazz Music    5. Pop    6. Swing    7. Traditional Pop    8. Vocal Jazz   

Reviews (3)

why can't I meet girls like this?
Not much I can add to the other rave reviews...just want to say that Lucille Bogan should be on a postage stamp,the lyrics of Satan Is Busy In Knoxville should guarantee it a po-mo cover version by some jaded boho and the interaction on Taint A Cow In Texas is worthy of Bessie Smith/James P. Johnson (high praise, if you don't know it!). One of my favorite CD's of the year. This whole Yazoo series is essential.

One of those things that....
if people gave it half a chance, they'd thoroughly enjoy it. The voices and music are raw, soulful....defiant almost.Tunes about tough times, especially for a woman, sung by obviously tough ladies. Likewise, tough, raw, emotional voices. Some of these tunes are incandescent with intensity: St. Louis Bessie's "Meat Cutter Blues" is as confident in its dreams of illicit sex and Lucille Bogan's "Sloppy Drunk Blues" is sad in its loneliness and alcoholism. Marvelous
Yazoo continues it's line of priceless collections made from nearly extinct 78's with this stunning set of sensual, deep soul sides. The sound quality has been masterfully restored - no easy feat considering the rarityand age of these finds. The intimacy of these piano masseurs - PinetopSparks, Roosevelt Sykes, and Cow Cow Davenport - and their women gives megoosebumps sometimes, sometimes it just makes me sigh. Sexy, warm,unbelievably artful - this music will make you wonder what the hellhappened to music and why it hasn't been THIS good in fifty years. Greatlate night listening, makes drinking alone a very desirable thing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20's    2. 30's    3. Blues    4. Blues Collections    5. Blues Music    6. Classic Female Blues    7. Piano Blues    8. Pop    9. Ragtime    10. Vaudeville Blues   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

A Mixed Bag
I am no connoisseur of jazz. I like the pure sound of Ella FItzgerald, and I bought this CD because I wanted to hear her sing some of my favorite standards. I knew that at least one song was a duet with Louis Armstrong and I had no problem with that. I have an old vinyl recording of their duets. I was surprised, however, to find that nearly half of the songs are duets with "Satchmo." I bought this CD to hear pure Ella. I was also surprised that some of the songs are from very old master tapes when her voice was much less mature, although in some ways even more pure than it later was. On one hand, this was enthralling; but on the other hand, the quality of the recording was not very good, having clearly been made on old equipment that is a far cry from modern standards. Overall, the songs themselves being sung by this legendary singer made it worth the investment.

This is a great release of early Ella...
If you have always enjoyed early songs from the great herself you will certainly love this album. It has her first big hit "A-Tisket A-Tasket" and some of the good duets with Louis Armstrong that arevery enjoyable.This is a recording that sounds like you're playing it onthe old phonograph right from the era.Really an enjoyable release! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Bop    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Jazz    5. Jazz Music    6. Jazz Vocals    7. Pop    8. Standards    9. Swing    10. Traditional Pop    11. Vocal Jazz   

Features

• Box set
• Limited Edition
• Original recording remastered

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Collections    4. Classic Female Blues    5. Delta Blues    6. Electric Blues    7. Harmonica Blues    8. Piano Blues    9. Piedmont Blues    10. Pop    11. St. Louis Blues    12. Texas Blues    13. V/a Compilations   

Reviews (3)

Another Excellent Sony Retrospective
I heartily recommend this two disk set to enthusiasts and neophytes, alike. For some reason, the Amzn. site is showing only a partial list of the tracks. That's a shame, as it leaves out many of the real gems on the collection. Peruse the entire list below and you'll see what I mean: An absolute must for any true fan of American Blues and Folk
This album is so good it's unbelievable; It's such a great listening experience.I especially love the rendition of Another great entry in the series!
The entire series put out by Sony, "Soundtrack for a Century" is a wonderful enterprise, especially if you love historical curiosities as well as great hits.From the rare to the very popular, each volume bringsa wealth of great music.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Acoustic Memphis Blues    4. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    5. Album Rock    6. Alternative Pop/Rock    7. Arena Rock    8. Black Gospel    9. Blues    10. Blues Gospel    11. Blues Revival    12. Blues-Rock    13. Boogie Rock    14. Chicago Blues    15. Classic Female Blues    16. Classic Jazz    17. Contemporary Blues    18. Country Blues    19. Delta Blues    20. Electric Chicago Blues   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (1)

Collector's Item
This triple CD is a wonderful compilation of Cole Porter's songs, a MUST for any collector of Cole Porter's music.The producers have been brilliant in compiling variations of songs done throughout the years andone can compare the original songs rendered by Cole Porter himself or EthelMerman among others in its original version and then go for the more modernsophisticated versions with better sound equipment.The comparisons areoften delightful and undoubtedly ingenious.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 30's    2. Big Band    3. Bop    4. British Dance Bands    5. Cabaret    6. Classic Female Blues    7. Classic Jazz    8. Classical    9. Cool    10. Dance Bands    11. Dixieland    12. Film Music    13. Hard Bop    14. Jazz Blues    15. Lounge    16. Mainstream Jazz    17. New Orleans Jazz    18. Nostalgia    19. Opera    20. Orchestral Pop   

Reviews (3)

Exellent spotlight on Hunter's caberet abilties
Alberta Hunter went to London to be in shows, and adapted very well to the sophistocated cabaret style.She sounds sophistocated and CLASSY ON THSI EXELLENT CD.VERY LITTLE JAZZ CONTENT IS HERE, HOWEVER JACK JACKSON'S OFTEN PEPPY BRITISH SOCIETYY DANCE BAND IS EXELLENT IN TEH RAY NOBLE, LEW STONE STYLE.

Refined Alberta Hunter
Those lusty recordings that A.H. made late in her life were my introduction to her. When I bought this LP back in the early 1980's, I was surprised to hear her refined style, particularly on "Two Cigarettesin the Dark." I came to this site today to see if the LP was availableon CD. And it is. I need to hear A Hunter not the band to evaluate for purchac
More vocals needed to reveiw adequately ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Jazz Vocals    5. Pop    6. Standards   

Subjects:  1. New Orleans R&B    2. Pop    3. R&B    4. Soul    5. Soul/R & B    6. Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Jazz Vocals    5. Jump Blues    6. Piedmont Blues    7. Pop    8. Swing    9. Vocal Jazz   

Editorial Review

The emphasis on this single-CD collection of Columbia-era tunes is on both the familiar chestnuts that were frequently requested at Billie Holiday's live performances and those that made up her radio hits output. Several of the tracks are repeats from the Read more

Reviews (1)

One of Billies Best
16 Most Requested Songs is one of my favorite album's with such hits as Body & Soul, I'm a Fool to Want You, and God Bless the Child it just doesn't get any better.I discovered Billie Holiday about 6 years ago andhave been in love with her music and voice since.I beleive that thisalbum is right up there with "Billie Holiday Sings Standards."Ithink every Billie Holiday fan should own this album. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Jazz Music    5. Jazz Vocals    6. Pop    7. Standards    8. Swing    9. Torch Songs    10. Traditional Pop    11. Vocal Jazz   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (3)

A PureGEM !
A most excellent CD!"Drinking Again" is lushly & plushly recorded by Dinah here,...a pure Gem!
Fantastic
I grew up with this album and loved every mintue of it.Her phrasing is unbeatable.Drinking Again... For All We Know.... If I had to choose one Dinah Washington album to listen to -- this would be it.

Dinah's fantastic style
Here you have the chance to have a long-time-out-of-print CD that reissues the first of Dinah's Roulette's album. Her style was changing a little, and she made use of pauses and whispers much more than in the past.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Jazz Music    5. Jazz Vocals    6. Pop    7. Standards    8. Traditional Pop    9. Vocal Jazz   

Features

• Live

Reviews (1)

Classic Jazz
If you liked Jazz AtThe Philharmonic in the late 40ties, it doesn't get any better than this!All time stars you only dream of playing together. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Big Band    3. Bop    4. Classic Female Blues    5. Dixieland    6. East Coast Blues    7. Hard Bop    8. Jazz    9. Jazz Music    10. Jazz Traditional Collections    11. Jump Blues    12. Mainstream Jazz    13. Pop    14. Standards    15. Swing    16. Traditional Pop    17. Vocal Jazz