Billie Holiday - Greatest Hits

Yesterday I was sick, just totally run down. I couldn't muster up the energy to write a review. But I did manage to find an album to listen to that worked really well for my day, helped me feel better. It's pretty hard to go wrong with Billie Holiday's Greatest Hits. Though the songs range from the giddy "Cheek to Cheek" to the heart-wrenching "Strange Fruit," they're just all so beautiful and expressive. Or rather, she is.

It feels a little silly to write a review of a greatest hits album of an iconic artist. What's to say? I'm nowhere near an expert on Billie Holiday, and wouldn't pretend to be able to tell you if this is the definitive collection. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not! I purchased this cd from the Co-op Bookstore (R.I.P.) in Oberlin when I was teaching myself about jazz. I asked Tim, one of the guys who worked there, what Billie Holiday album I should buy if I wanted to learn about her. Tim was no dummy, and though we were friendly, I'm sure he could spot a sucker. So I doubt that this 18 track compilation on Bella Musica is what jazz experts would point to as the best collection of her work. But it works from start to finish for me, and just reminds me that I should pick up that endeavor I started fifteen or so years ago, and build my Billie Holiday collection beyond this introduction. If you need to start yours, I'll send this one your way.

Joshua Redman - "Moodswing"

Happy December! I took a few days off for Thanksgiving, but I'm back. And this is a fantastic cd to get me started again, 'cause it's just led me through the kind of experience this project is all about. I hadn't listened to Joshua Redman in years, but when I pulled this album out of the drawer, I remembered really liking it once upon a time. Well, that's because it's beautiful.

I first heard Joshua Redman at Oberlin (Is it starting to seem that all roads lead back to Oberlin in my music life? Hmmm....) when I was visiting my sister, must have been 1996. Finney Chapel - which is a really large church - was absolutely packed, and I'd never experienced a crowd so totally enthralled with a jazz trio. Everyone was on their feet, and it was hot! A few days later, the tour came through Boston and I saw the trio play at the Regatta Bar to a super stiff crowd of New Englanders, which wasn't exactly the same. Just a lot of polite clapping and knowing nods. Oofta. But the band was still amazing.

Somehow, in the ensuing years, I only managed to purchase one Joshua Redman cd. I followed the careers of Brian Blade, the drummer in that trio in '96, and Christian McBride, the bassist. I even bought a few of Christian McBride's albums, which I like a lot. But "Moodswing" is the only Joshua Redman album I've bought. Truth be told, I haven't been listening to a ton of jazz recently. I'm such a dunce that today after listening to "Moodswing," I thought, "Wow, I wonder if Joshua Redman ever put out any other records? I know he went to Harvard and almost went to law school, so maybe he just left the jazz world...." Um, not so much. Turns out while I've been spaced out, Joshua Redman's been turning out tons of critically acclaimed albums. Check out his website, you'll see.

It's definitely time for me to get some more Joshua Redman. I'll do that soon. In the mean time, I'm happy to be listening to this album again. "Moodswing" is a great name for it. He swings between slower, more sultry and melancholy tracks that reference vocal melodies, to more straight ahead tracks with unbelievable solos. That's the stuff that really works for me. There's a definite Cannonball Adderley influence, and that gets me every time.

So, yeah, I woke up today to the reality that Joshua Redman is probably one of the great jazz musicians out there right now, and I wasn't even paying attention! I'm awake now. Let me know if you need a great jazz cd to add to your collection.