Billie Holiday - Last Recording (1959) @320

Billie Holiday - Last Recording (1959)

Mp3 320 kbps


As both the album's title and mournful cover imply, Billie Holiday's LAST RECORDING is a somber affair. Even on rather upbeat tunes such as Cole Porter's "All of You," there's an inherent sadness present in Lady Day's voice beyond her usual melancholy tone. By this point in time, drug abuse had taken a heavy toll on Holiday, and her exhaustion is evident in the recordings. Still, she gives these songs her all, aided by Ray Ellis' proficient orchestra that includes luminaries like Harry "Sweets" Edison, Hank Jones, Kenny Burrell, and Milt Hinton.

Holiday's weary voice works well on "All the Way," "I'll Never Smile Again," and "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" (made famous by one of her heroes, Louis Armstrong). When she sings "Don't Worry About Me," Holiday is in top form, and it's as if she were delivering her own eulogy, both heart-breakingly sad and utterly beautiful.


Billie lays down her soul and offers a multi-dimentional glimpse into the private anguish of a transcendental artist. At the time of these recordings(March,1959), Billie had less than 5 months to live and her voice reflects years of physical and emotional abuse(some self-inficted).

It doesn't matter. Her ability to transcend lyrics and infuse songs with feeling are never more apparent. At times her voice wavers and she struggles for breath, but her soul shines through.
Particularly moving are "Don't Worry About Me","I'll Never Smile Again" and "All The Way".

This is not the Billie of Columbia or Decca days. But Billie was always known as an artist with an uncanny ability of wearing her soul on her sleeve and the deterioration of her voice only crystalizes how effective she was in conveying feeling. A moving and at times heartbreaking glimpse into the soul of one of the 20th Century's greatest interpreters of song.


01 All of You [From Silk Stocking] (Porter) 2:33
02 Sometimes I'm Happy [From Hit the Deck] (Youmans, Caesar, Grey) 2:50
03 You Took Advantage of Me [From Present Arms] (Rodgers, Hart) 3:11
04 When It's Sleepy Time Down South (René, Muse, Rene) 4:09
05 There'll Be Some Changes Made (Overstreet, Higgins) 2:54
06 'Deed I Do (Rose, Hirsch) 2:17
07 Don't Worry 'Bout Me (Bloom, Koehler) 3:12
08 All the Way [From the Joker Is Wild] (Cahn, Van Heusen) 3:27
09 Just One More Chance (Johnston, Coslow) 3:47
10 It's Not for Me to Say (Allen, Stillman) 2:30
11 I'll Never Smile Again (Lowe) 3:26
12 Baby Won't You Please Come Home (Williams, Warfield) 3:05



Recorded in New York, on March 3, 4 & 11, 1959.


Billie Holiday - vocals
Jimmy Cleveland - trombone
Romeo Penque - alto & tenor saxophones, bass clarinet
Barry Galbraith - guitar
Joe Benjamin - bass
Danny Bank - baritone saxophone
Billy Byers - trombone
Joe Wilder - trumpet
Gene Quill - alto saxophone
Janet Putnam - harp
Milt Hinton - bass
Hank Jones - piano
Kenny Burrel - guitar
Harry "Sweets" Edison - trumpet
Osie Johnson - drums
Al Cohn - tenor saxophone
Ray Ellis conductor