(March 2025) Episode 637 is BILLIE HOLIDAY. One of the most distinctive American voices. She widened the aperture of jazz with the instrumentality of her voice (from horn players she admired like Louis Armstrong) and bringing in lived experience to her songs (from blues singers she admired like Bessie Smith) (also maybe why I liked her “Strange Fruit”). Personally, this style of jazz isn’t my cup of tea, but her signature voice sells it.
Favorite album: Lady Sings the Blues
Favorite song: Strange Fruit
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: The mid-50s recordings on Verve and Clef
Opus Project 