Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74760 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-08-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Best of, Import, NTSC
• Original language: English

Album Description
NTSC/Region 0. 13 rare performances from the legendary jazz vocalist filmed throughout the '50s. Features Billie backed by other Jazz luminaries like Count Basie, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, Doc Cheatham, Mal Waldron and others. MJOD. 2007.

Customer Reviews

Some Great, Rare Performances at a Bargain Price
I took a chance and ordered this DVD, since this page has no description of the product or its quality. I enjoyed it very much, and it's a welcome addition to my library.

This video contains 13 video clips from television appearances in the latter part of Lady Day's life. The video and audio quality vary; most of the clips are very good; several have been available on other compilations.

The primary reason for obtaining this package is the excellent quality of the first two clips - Billie appears with Count Basie and His Orchestra in a 1950 short, singing God Bless the Child and Now Baby Or Never. This clip was available earlier in very poor quality on another compilation, but the audio and video quality of this short in this package is stunning, and it may very well be the best video performance of Billie Holiday preserved on film. I am quite pleased, and the price of this DVD is worth it for this short alone.

The other 11 clips included are:

My Man
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Billie's Blues with the Corky Hale Trio (Los Angelis, 1956 - very good quality)

Easy To Remember
What A Little Moonlight Can Do
Foolin' Myself (a great song that Lady rarely performed) with Georgie Auld and Mal Waldron (Newark, NJ, 1958 - poor quality)

I Only Have Eyes For You
Travelin' Light with Mal Waldron (Paris, 1958 good quality)

Strange Fruit
I Loves You Porgy with Mal Waldron, (London, 1959 - good quality)

Plus the celebrated performance of Fine and Mellow from the Voice of Jazz CBS special (1957) with Roy Eldridge, Doc Cheatam, Vic Dickensen, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Gerry Mulligan, Mal Waldron, Danny Barker, Milt Hinton and Osie Johnson, presented in its entirety (1957). If you have never seen it or don't have it, it's another of Lady Day's rare video performances that is not to be missed.

All in all, definitely a find for fans at this price.