Billie Holiday - Ken Burns Jazz

In conjunction with the release of Ken Burns' ten-part, 19-hour epic PBS documentary Jazz, Columbia issued 22 single-disc compilations devoted to jazz's most significant artists, as well as a five-disc historical summary. Since the individual compilations attempt to present balanced overviews of each artist's career, tracks from multiple labels have thankfully been licensed where appropriate. That's especially nice in the case of Billie Holiday, who recorded excellent and essential work for Columbia, Commodore, Decca, and Verve. Since her signature numbers were also spread out over those labels, and since Ken Burns Jazz includes pretty much all of her best-known songs, this makes an excellent introduction and an even better single-disc retrospective. No previous Holiday compilation gathers her original recordings of "Strange Fruit," "God Bless the Child," "Gloomy Sunday," "Lover Man," and "Lady Sings the Blues." While the collection isn't quite perfect -- some might miss "Tain't Nobody's Business if I Do" or her cover of Bessie Smith's "Them There Eyes" -- it is the only one to draw from Holiday's entire output, and as such, it's truly a best-of. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adam Block Project Manager Al Casey Guitar Alvin Stoller Drums Alvy West Saxophone Armand Camgros Clarinet, Sax (Tenor) Artie Shapiro Bass Babe Russin Clarinet, Sax (Tenor) Barney Kessel Guitar Barry Galbraith Guitar Ben Webster Sax (Tenor) Ben Young Discographical Information, A&R Benny Goodman Clarinet Bernard Addison Guitar Bernard Kaufman Sax (Tenor), Clarinet Big Sid Catlett Drums Bill Stegmeyer Sax (Alto), Conductor, Clarinet Billie Holiday Vocals, Spoken Word Bob Haggart Conductor, Bass Bryan Koniarz Project Manager Buck Clayton Trumpet Buddy Weed Piano Carl Kress Guitar Carlos Kase Discographical Information Carson Smith Bass Charles Jaffe Violin Charlie Shavers Trumpet Chico Hamilton Drums Chris Griffin Trumpet Clare Walker Packaging Manager Coleman Hawkins Sax (Tenor) Cozy Cole Drums Dan d'Andrea Saxophone Danny Bank Woodwind Danny Barker Guitar Dave Bowman Piano Dave Sawyer Cello David L. Newman Strings Didier C. Deutsch Discographical Information, A&R Doc Cheatham Trumpet Don Waddilove Trumpet Eddie Dougherty Drums Eddie Heywood Piano Edmond Hall Clarinet Elise Bretton Soprano (Vocal) Emmett Berry Trumpet Ernie Powell Sax (Tenor), Sax (Alto) Flip Phillips Sax (Tenor) Frank Driggs Photography Frankie Newton Trumpet Freddie Green Guitar George Ockner Violin, Concert Master George Serloff Violin Gerry Mulligan Sax (Baritone) Grachan Moncur II Bass Haig Stephens Bass Hank Ross Sax (Tenor), Clarinet Harry Azen Strings Harry Carney Sax (Baritone) Herbert Cowans Drums Hollis King Art Direction Howard Fritzson Art Direction Hymie Schertzer Sax (Alto) J.C. Heard Drums J.J. Johnson Trombone Jack Cressey Sax (Alto) Janet Putnam Harp Jeff Jones Executive Producer Jeffrey Peisch Photo Research, Project Director Jimmy Hamilton Clarinet Jimmy McLin Guitar Jimmy Mundy Arranger Jimmy Powell Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Jimmy Sherman Piano Jo Jones Drums Joe Guy Trumpet Joe Springer Piano John Christiana Packaging Manager John Crosby Spoken Word John Kirby Bass John Simmons Bass John Trueheart Guitar Johnny Blowers Drums Johnny Hodges Sax (Alto) Johnny Williams Bass Jonah Jones Trumpet Ken Burns Executive Producer, A&R Ken Druker Project Manager Kenneth Hollon Sax (Tenor) Kenny Burrell Guitar Kevin Reeves Mastering King Guion Saxophone Kristin Kozusko A&R Larry Binyon Sax (Tenor) Larry Neill Trumpet Lauren Atlas Packaging Manager Lawrence Lucie Guitar Lee Tanner Photography Leo Kruczek Violin Lester Boone Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Lester Young Sax (Tenor) Lois Soprano (Vocal) Lynn Novick A&R Mal Waldron Piano Michael Brooks Project Manager, A&R Michael Cuscuna A&R Mike Charlasch Project Director Mike Pingatore Guitar Milt Hinton Bass Miriam Workman Soprano (Vocal) Monty Kelly Trumpet Morris Lefkowitz Violin Murray McEachern Trombone Nate Herr Project Manager Nathan Savage Design Nedra Olds-Neal A&R Oscar Peterson Piano Osie Johnson Drums Pat Sweeting Business Consultant Patti Matheny A&R Paul Chapman Guitar Paul J. Hoeffler Photography Peter Keepnews Liner Notes Peter Miller A&R Phil Bodner Woodwind Phil Kraus Percussion Philip Bailey Liner Notes Ray Brown Bass Ray Ellis Arranger, Conductor Richard Seidel Compilation, A&R Romeo Penque Woodwind Ron Goldstein Executive Producer Roy Eldridge Trumpet Russ Case Trumpet Sammy Benskin Piano Sarah Botstein Project Director, A&R Seth Rothstein A&R, Project Director Skip Layton Trombone Sol Blumenthal Strings Sonny White Piano Specs Powell Drums Stan Webb Sax (Baritone) Stanley Payne Sax (Tenor) Steve Berdowitz A&R Tab Smith Sax (Alto) Teddy Wilson Piano Tiny Grimes Guitar Tom Mitchell Trombone Tommy Mace Saxophone Tony Scott Piano Tutti Camarata Conductor, Arranger Urbie Green Trombone Vic Dickenson Trombone Victoria Gohl Photo Research Walter Page Bass