Editorial Review:

Album Description:
Billie Holiday's story is so huge, her artistry so vast, and her impact so incalculable, that even attempting to corral a representative sampling of it within a single collection of recordings is an overwhelming, perhaps foolhardy task. Many have tried, of course, and literally hundreds of options of varying quality and legitimacy, scattered across dozens of labels, are available to the consumer. Neophytes, or those not willing to commit to a gargantuan listening session, can settle for any number of single- or double-CD best-ofs that adequately present Holiday's most important, better-known music.









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Disc 1:

1. I Wished on the Moon - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
2. What a Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
3. Miss Brown to You - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
4. If You Were Mine - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
5. These 'N' That 'N' Those - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
6. You Let Me Down - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
7. Spreadin' Rhythm Around - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
8. Life Begins When You're in Love - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
9. It's Like Reaching for the Moon - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
10. These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You) - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
11. I Cried for You - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
12. Did I Remember? - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
13. No Regrets - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
14. Summertime - Billie Holiday
15. Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
16. Fine Romance - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
17. One, Two, Button Your Shoe - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
18. Easy to Love - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
19. Way You Look Tonight - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
20. Pennies from Heaven - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson

Disc 2:

1. That's Life I Guess - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
3. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
4. He Ain't Got Rhythm - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
5. This Year's Kisses - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
6. Why Was I Born? - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
7. I Must Have That Man - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
8. Mood That I'm In - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
9. You Showed Me the Way - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
10. My Last Affair - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
11. Moanin' Low - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
12. Where Is the Sun? - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
13. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
14. They Can't Take That Away from Me - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
15. Don't Know If I'm Comin' or Goin' - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
16. I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You) - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
17. Mean to Me - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
18. Foolin' Myself - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
19. Easy Living - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
20. I'll Never Be the Same - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson

Disc 3:

1. Me, Myself and I - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
2. Sailboat in the Moonlight - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
3. Without Your Love - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
4. Trav'lin' All Alone - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
5. He's Funny That Way - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
6. Nice Work If You Can Get It - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
7. Things Are Looking Up - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
8. My Man - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
9. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
10. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You) - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
11. On the Sentimental Side - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
12. When a Woman Loves a Man - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
13. You Go to My Head - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
14. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away the Key) - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
15. Very Thought of You - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
16. I Can't Get Started - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
17. More Than You Knoe - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
18. Sugar - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
19. Long Gone Blues - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
20. Some Other Spring - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday

Disc 4:

1. Them There Eyes - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
2. Swing! Brother, Swing! - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
3. Night and Day - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
4. Man I Love - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
5. Body and Soul - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
6. Falling in Love Again - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
7. Laughing at Life - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
8. Time on My Hands (You in My Arms) - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
9. St. Louis Blues - Benny Carter & His All Star Orchestra, Billie Holiday
10. Loveless Love - Benny Carter & His All Star Orchestra, Billie Holiday
11. Let's Do It - Eddie Heywood & His All Star Orchestra, Billie Holiday
12. Georgia on My Mind - Eddie Heywood & His All Star Orchestra, Billie Holiday
13. All of Me - Eddie Heywood & His All Star Orchestra, Billie Holiday
14. God Bless the Child - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
15. Am I Blue? - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday
16. I Cover the Waterfront - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
17. Love Me or Leave Me - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
18. Gloomy Sunday - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
19. It's a Sin to Tell a Lie - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson
20. Until the Real Thing Comes Along - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson

Rating: - Lady Day: The Master Takes and Singles
A rainy night, a fire in the woodstove, thinking of a lost love and Lady Day.

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Rating: - Best Legacy re-master yet
What has not been advertised regarding this release is that the tracks on these 4 Cds have been again re-mastered and now offer the best sound yet from Legacy. Whilst the Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday series on the UK Hep label (mastered by John R T Davies) still probably have the edge this new box has a much fuller sound than on the previous mastering on the 10 cd box and the various individual compilations that followed circa 2002. The sheer precence of the vocals in particular is very satisfying, and there appears to be more instrumental depth and better bass reproduction - although there is also a small price to pay in that surface noise is a bit prominent on some selections.

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Rating: - Good Fit
If you're a fan of Lady Day, you probably already know that these Columbia recordings are weighted almost as heavily as Louis Armstrong's Hot 5s and 7s in the jazz heavy weight arena. Their unique aural beauty is a foregone conclusion.

I originally owned volume 2, 3 and 5 of the Quintessential series then upgraded to the 2 CD, "Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday". Problem was, this stuff is so good, I just could not seem to get enough. Having said that, the 10 CD complete seemed a bit much. Like I said, this is a real good fit. See what a little moonlight can do.

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Rating: - Good Introduction
The 10 CD complete Columbia Box set is very good, but the packaging on that one tends to discourage listening, and it probably just sits on the shelf if anyone has it. I can understand the marketers saying that 4CD sets sell well, but why not fill the CDs completely, as they already have all tracks remastered. Why only 20 tracks per disc, when 25+ tracks will easily fit on every CD? If you don't have any classic Columbia recordings, get this. But don't ask why Strange Fruit is not on this set. It was never on Columbia, as Columbia would not allow her to record it. The masters at SONY would've done well to pay for the rights to include it, but maybe the current corporate owners wouldn't allow it. That brings to mind, can anyone guess where the "artist's royalties" from the sale of Billie Holiday recordings go? Probably right into corporate pockets. Ain't that a shame? They should go to a program to help abused young women!!