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*

My Funny Valentine's Definitive Rendition

Did you know that the show tune "My Funny Valentine" has been performed by over 600 artists, and has appeared on over 1300 albums?

My Funny Valentine is a song originally published in 1937 with music from Richard Rodgers and Lyrics by Lorenz Hart.

"My Funny Valentine", along with "The Lady is a Tramp," became the signature tune for the 1937 musical Babes in Arms.

Ordinarily I am a fan of pop standards when performed as an instrumentals, particularly when adapted to a jazz setting.

I consider the Miles Davis rendition to be the definitive instrumental rendition, I do enjoy the Frank Sinatra vocal version as well, but: