In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook
In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook is a 1994 jazz album by American trumpeter Terence Blanchard and vocalist Jeanie Bryson, released on the Columbia label.[4]
In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 29, 1994 | |||
Recorded | October 20–29, 1993 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 52:27 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Terence Blanchard | |||
Terence Blanchard chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
Tom Hull | B–[2] |
The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide |
Overview
Terence Blanchard plays soothing, appealing ballads, uptempo tunes and wonderful melodies on muted and open horn, cleanly and fully hitting high and low notes, while executing mellow or intense statements smoothly and with flair. His guest vocalist Jeanie Bryson singing immortal compositions previously made anthems by legend Billie Holiday.
Critical reception
Scott Yanow of Allmusic stated "Trumpeter Terence Blanchard's tribute to Billie Holiday is a rather melancholy and often downbeat affair. Sounding less original than usual (he displays a strong Wynton Marsalis influence and also hints at times at both Miles Davis and Thad Jones), there is little joy to these renditions of Lady Day material other than the second half of "I Cried for You." The trumpeter's arrangements for the unswinging string section is occasionally oppressive, sometimes border on muzak and tends to weigh down the music." Zan Stewart of The Los Angeles Times added "...Blanchard will explore an earlier era on "In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook" (Columbia), his fat, sassy trumpet tone accompanied by a string section".[5]
Track listing
Track | Song Title | Vocals | Time |
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1. | Detour Ahead | Jeanie Bryson | 4:32 |
2. | Nice Work If You Can Get It | Jeanie Bryson | 4:36 |
3. | In My Solitude | 3:39 | |
4. | What a Little Moonlight Can Do | Jeanie Bryson | 4:01 |
5. | Good Morning Heartache | 4:38 | |
6. | I Cried For You | 3:42 | |
7. | Don't Explain | 4:10 | |
8. | Fine And Mellow | Jeanie Bryson | 4:37 |
9. | Cover The Waterfront | 4:34 | |
10. | Left Alone | 8:02 | |
11. | Strange Fruit | Jeanie Bryson | 3:48 |
12. | Lady Sings The Blues | 6:09 | |
Personnel
- Terence Blanchard – trumpet, main performer
- Jeanie Bryson – vocals
- Bruce Barth – piano
- Chris Thomas – bass
- Troy Davis – drums
Chart performance
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
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US Traditional Jazz Albums (Billboard)[6] | 3 |
Billboard 200[7] | 14 |
Footnotes
- Allmusic review
- "Tom Hull: Grade List: Terence Blanchard". Tom Hull. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- Swenson, John (1999). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. p. 1865. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- "Terence Blanchard – The Billie Holiday Songbook". Discogs. discogs.com. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- Stewart, Zan (8 January 1994). "New Year Promises Slew of First-Rate Recordings". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- "Terence Blanchard". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- "Terence Blanchard". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2020.