3 Must Hear Tunes From Jazz Singer Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, born Eleanor Fagen (April 7, 1915 - died July 17, 1959) wrote or co wrote very few songs, though one of them does appear on this brief list, and is considered a jazz standard.

Billie wasn't a trained vocalist, she never had formal training, and never learned to read music.

 Her vocal style was a combination of gospel and blues, Lady Day lacked vocal range later in life due to alcohol and drug use, but to me, she is the quintessential jazz singer

Her voice became fragile and thin, though this in a way adds to the charm and power of her songs later in her career. Billie Holiday will always be my favorite jazz singer because she was mainly rooted in the blues, and that is always a great thing.

For this list I have chosen 3 songs that are my favorites, songs I listen to quite a bit, but any song performed by Billie Holiday is worth listening to.

 I will say, if you have a chance to get the recording or DVD of the album "Sound of Jazz" do get it, it is a Jazz summit from 1957 with Billie, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, and many other jazz's greats that was filmed specifically for a television special.

*Intro photo used with permission, via Amazon.com*




"Stars Fell on Alabama"

"Stars fell on Alabama" is a jazz standard written by Mitchel Parrish in 1934, The song refers to a spectacular occurrence of the Leonid Meteor Showers seen from Alabama in 1833.

"Strange Fruit"

"Strange Fruit" may be the most powerful song ever written, The lyrical content, a poem written by a school teacher Abel Meeropol about racism in America in 1939. The performance is one of the most Haunting things I have ever heard.

The Poem was inspired by the 1930 Lynchings of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith; Band members said every time Billie sang Strange Fruit, she would would break down and cry.

"Fine and Mellow"

"Fine and mellow" written by Billie, This is a love gone wrong song, a pure blues. The extended version from The Sound of Jazz TV Special is my favorite version, this video does have an introduction, you can start at the 1 minute mark to get to the start of the tune.

Of special note here: Tenor saxophonist Lester Young has a simple but extremely poignant solo "his is the second solo, right after Ben Webster's on this recording that is simply perfect in every way, the sound, and the mood, please do check it out.

Intro photo credit: Used with permission via Amazon.com.