Songs for Distingue Lovers＜限定盤＞

1950年代の彼女の代表作である1958年リリースの『Songs For Distingue Lovers』がAcoustic Soundsシリーズに登場。

ビリー・ホリデイの歌唱が晩年になって変化したことは否定できない。声が暗くなり、低音域にシフトしていったのだ。そして、その表現力の豊かさは、彼女の歌声を本質的なものへと昇華させ、ある種の高次元のスピーチとなったが本作も、時を経て深みを増し、艶やかになっている。

【パーソネル】Billie Holiday(vo) Harry Edison(tp) Ben Webster(ts) Jimmy Rowles(p) Barney Kessel(g) Red Mitchell(double-b) Alvin Stolle,Larry Bunker(ds)

Songs for Distingue Lovers forms part of the last series of extensive small-group recordings that Lady Day would make in the studio. Although her voice was largely shot at this point, she puts so much feeling into the lyrics that it's easy to overlook her dark sound. The band is a major asset, and made up of all-stars: trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, pianist Jimmie Rowles, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Red Mitchell, and Alvin Stoller or Larry Bunker on drums. There are plenty of short solos for Edison, Webster, and Kessel. Holiday does her best on such numbers as "A Foggy Day," "One for My Baby," "Just One of Those Things," and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," and there are plenty of haunting moments, even if one could tell (even at the time) that the end was probably drawing near for the singer. [Some reissues add six songs, doubling the original program, including further recordings made during the same January 1957 sessions.] ~ Scott Yanow