CD-Charts Position 181
Average Rating:

The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol. 9 (1940-1942)

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Billie Holiday

Release Date July 23, 1991
In my book, and I am hardly alone on this, Billie Holiday is the torch singer's torch singer. Maybe it is the phrasing on her best songs. That well-placed hush. Maybe it is the unbreakable link between her voice when she is on a roll and the arrangements. Hell, maybe in the end it was the dope but, by Jesus, she could sing a modern ballad of love, lost or both like no other. And if it was the dope, let me say this- a `normal' nice singer could sing for a hundred years and never get it right, the way Billie could get it right when she was at her best. Dope or no dope. Was she always at her best? These recordings done between 1940 and 1942 show the highs. Billie had mastered her trade.

Many of the songs on the current compilation ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 182
Average Rating:

Complete Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 3, 1937

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Lil Johnson & Barrel House Annie

Release Date February 15, 1995
On this, the third installment of Document Records' coverage of Lil Johnson's recordings, Lil is in her usual fine musical form. From start to finish, this is a must have for any blues, jazz, swing, or any music fan!

CD-Charts Position 183
Average Rating:

Fine & Mellow: 1935-1941

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Billie Holiday

Release Date September 15, 1995
This set is probably the best one-CD overview of Billie's work in the 1930s and 1940s, a slight improvement over the Columbia Greatest Hits collection. It includes Strange Fruit, God Bless the Child, and most of the other predictable favorites. It also gives you a good spectrum of her sound with Teddy Wilson and Lester Young, her primary collaborators in this period. And unlike most of the postwar (especially Verve) collections, her voice is still pretty good on these early records, so that you can listen for tone as well as phrasing.

CD-Charts Position 184
Average Rating:

Lady Day: The Complete Columbia Golden Years

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Billie Holiday

Release Date April 05, 2004
The Spanish label "Definitive Records" collected 233 songs, including all the studio material recorded between 1933 and 1942 for Columbia. All the alternates are included (at the end of every cd: good choice) and there are some great live sessions. The 10 cd box is very cheap and has a nice design. There's a 100 pages booklet with all the lyrics, the liner notes and a short essay about the issue. The 24-bit remasterization, in my opinion, cleaned the sound and made the instruments more "present", even if a background noise is recognizable in many songs. I think the result is remarkable, and I suggest this box not only to Billie Holiday's fans but also to all music lovers.

CD-Charts Position 185
Average Rating:

Today I Sing the Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Helen Humes

Release Date June 17, 2008
The Spanish label "Definitive Records" collected 233 songs, including all the studio material recorded between 1933 and 1942 for Columbia. All the alternates are included (at the end of every cd: good choice) and there are some great live sessions. The 10 cd box is very cheap and has a nice design. There's a 100 pages booklet with all the lyrics, the liner notes and a short essay about the issue. The 24-bit remasterization, in my opinion, cleaned the sound and made the instruments more "present", even if a background noise is recognizable in many songs. I think the result is remarkable, and I suggest this box not only to Billie Holiday's fans but also to all music lovers.

CD-Charts Position 186
Average Rating:

Swango

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Candye Kane

Release Date September 22, 1998
Miss Kane is perhaphs one of the most talented female vocalists to emerge grom the "neo swing" revival of teh late 90's. Her vocie recalls Etta James, and at the same time Sophie Tucker. She performs music that ranges from early R&B, jump blues, and dixieland with a 1920's falir, but it all falls in the swing category, and everything is great for dancers(especially lindy hoppers)! The group on this cd is essentially members from her Swingin Armadillos, including boogie woogie Queen of teh piano Miss Sue Palmer. A classic swing set.

Also get:

Candye Kane-The Toughest Gal Alive

and for more of a blues set, rather then all swing try her latest:

Whole Lotta Love

CD-Charts Position 187
Average Rating:

The Ultimate Collection

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Kay Starr

Release Date April 16, 2007
This 3CD Set Is A Blessing To Kay Starr Fans And To The Disc Jockeys That
Still Play This Music//What A Joy To Hear To Each His Own//No Regrets//
With Wonderful Arrangements But The One Song That Just Blew Me Away was
Kays Rendition Of The Tony Bennett Hit THE GOOD LIFE/
I Have Heard Many Great Renditions Of This Song Dinah Washington/Billy Eckstine/Della Reese/Steve Lawrence
Ray Charles/Frank Sinatra/Bobby Darin//All Wonderful But Kays Record Of
THE GOOD LIFE With A Delicious And Tasteful Arrangemen/
The Price Of The 3CD set Was Worth It For The Good Life Cut Alone//
It Was Recorded May 9th.1963//WHY WHY WHY Has It Been Hidden And Lost For So long

Stanley Cooper Jupiter Florida

CD-Charts Position 188
Average Rating:

Rude Dudes

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Various Artists

Release Date April 21, 2003
Back in the day, there were what was called race records and these records weren't censored the way that the ones that "decent" folks purchased were so a lot of dirty blues got recorded and released. This collection puts together a pretty extensive sampling of these "Early American Party Records". Wait'll the kids go to bed. It's a tradition.

CD-Charts Position 189
Average Rating:

Maybe I'll Cry

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Mama Estella Yancey

Release Date April 30, 1996
The most beaufiful album, Mama has a voice like a chain-saw and on this album redefines the depths of despair to which love can lead you. The title track is exquisite, as is How Long and the amazing Pallet On The Floor. Beautiful piano accompanyment creates a marvellous synergy and if anyone can recommend anything as good as this, well, I'll buy them a beer.

CD-Charts Position 190
Average Rating:

Cole Porter Songbook

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Vocal Blues
by: Various Artists

Release Date September 28, 2004
The most beaufiful album, Mama has a voice like a chain-saw and on this album redefines the depths of despair to which love can lead you. The title track is exquisite, as is How Long and the amazing Pallet On The Floor. Beautiful piano accompanyment creates a marvellous synergy and if anyone can recommend anything as good as this, well, I'll buy them a beer.