{"product_id":"billie-holiday_holiday-billie-velvet-mood_2025_pia","title":"Holiday Billie \/ Velvet Mood","description":"The title for this Billie Holiday record was born, as often happens, from a chance remark. The recording session had been interrupted. The song “What’s New?” had just been recorded; Miss Holiday and the six accompanying musicians were relaxing. One of the musicians lights his cigarette. He takes a long drag. He turns to a friend. “That Billie,” he says, his voice wrapped in admiration, “there’s velvet in that woman’s voice!” The friend nods agreement, but with a slight reservation. “That’s true,” he says, “especially when she’s in the mood.” Velvet was indeed the mood of this Lady Day session—a most pleasurable combination of artist and song. Miss Holiday is vocally equipped to succeed with any song, but she is at her best with two types of voices—basic blues and sophisticated tunes. The latter are in evidence on this album, with the high point being the Duke Ellington number “Prelude to a Kiss,” along with standards such as Harold Arlen’s “I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues” and “Everything I Have Is Yours.” And for a change of pace, the Gershwins joyfully suggest that it’s “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” In all the songs, of course, Billie Holiday’s very special characteristics, namely intensity and emotion, are revealed to a large degree. Over the years, another characteristic of Miss Holiday has been that her accompanists are themselves top-flight jazzmen. This is true here.","brand":"Billie Holiday","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55304116666712,"sku":null,"price":20250221.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0898\/4943\/0360\/files\/8436542015080.jpg?v=1772564516","url":"https:\/\/vinyles.com\/en\/products\/billie-holiday_holiday-billie-velvet-mood_2025_pia","provider":"Vinyles.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}