Search - Billie Holiday :: Billie Holiday: Portrait

Billie Holiday's Complete Work 1933 - 1944 & Bargain Price

Alan Houston | Houston, Texas, United States | 05/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Billie Holiday - Portrait" box set includes FAR more music than is listed in the Amaazon.com summary. The "Past Perfect" label of the German TIM Company has put together one of recorded music's greatest bargains. It includes 186 songs, recorded between 1933 and 1948. It includes every "official" release by Billie Holiday from 1933 to 1944 (a total of 170 songs) except: the box omits four songs recorded for Commodore in 1939. The four missing recordings include her trademark songs "Strange Fruit" and "Fine and Mellow". Yet ALL 12 of the 1944 Commodore recordings are included. The omission of those four songs is the only flaw in this collection.The sound quality is very good for sixty-five year old recordings, with almost all of the noise from the old 78 RPM records removed, leaving behind a clean and natural sound balance. Although the words "24 Carat Gold Edition" are stamped on the box and booklet, the CD's are NOT "gold plated"...they are just plain old regular silver CD's. The 35 pages of notes in the booklet give a good biography and a nice selection of photographs. The notes on each recording session are included in leaflets enclosed with each of the ten jewel boxes in the set. There are a few minor errors in the session notes, with several recording dates being confused.With ten CD's, 186 songs, a nice booklet, good session notes, all for just $, "Portrait" is a box set that every Billie Holiday fan needs to have."

GREAT !!!

John | New York, NY USA | 06/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don't bother paying a ton of money for the Billie Holiday Columbia box set when
you can buy the 10 disc German box set called "Portrait" for a whole lot less.
The American set goes for $$$ to $$$ where the German set is going for $$ to $$.
I've heard both sets and the German one is MUCH better with far less surface noise without sacrificing the sound. But I must warn you that the German set does have a touch of stereo reverb added to the recordings, but it's very
tastefully done. I'm usually one of those who hates doctored up old recordings, but this is so well done. It's okay.The German collection also has more songs which includes great recordings from the other labels Decca and Commodore. For some reason the set is missing four great tracks (Strange Fruit, Yesterdays, Fine And Mellow and
Until The Real Thing Comes Along) but the American set doesn't include Strange Fruit, Yesterdays and
Fine and Mellow either. The American set only deals with the Columbia sides, but does give you lots of
alternate takes, which the set from Germany avoids. But that's alright, I just want the official recording, not
the alternates or outtakes as I call them. As far as packaging, the American set wins hands down, but the imported German set does have a nice
40 page booklet and is better about protecting your CD's and most importantly...far better sound quality."

Careful with this one

Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 05/24/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Let me just say, if your a Billie Holiday "enthusiast" and would love to hear a different perception of the 1935-1942 output, this is the box set for you. Whoever did the re-production was a bit over the top in my humble opinion. As you may have read: "These recordings are a bit blurred with heavy bass and have an added touch of stereo reverb." I like that touch of reverb personally. One other nice thing, that surface noise is really quiet and on some songs completely gone. Very nice!



The overall sound quality and re-production really works nicely on most songs, it's like seeing them in a whole new light. But, some songs don't quite work as well. So, I've found that the best way to listen to this set, is either at a low level, or if you must play it louder, turn the bass (or low end) down a few notches, at least.







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