Billie Holiday – Body & Soul (SHM-SACD single layer)

If anyone ever had the right to sing these songs, it was Billie Holiday. Who else has ever experienced the destruction of body and soul more than she did? Whether she was an innocent victim or a more or less conscious accomplice to her own misfortune, Billie Holiday managed to express her feelings and emotions with incredible realism. Shortly before she finally ended her intense career – her personality had been destroyed by alcohol and drug abuse and a series of unhappy relationships – Holiday recorded the most moving versions of eight beautiful songs that have ever been released.

“Body And Soul” includes pieces from successful musicals and well-known evergreens from the swing era. Holiday managed to get the best out of herself, thanks in part to the high caliber of her backing band, which included Ben Webster (saxophone), Harry “Sweets” Edison (trumpet), Barney Kessel (guitar), Red Mitchell (double bass), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Alvin Stoller, and Larry Bunker (drums). Some said it was the relaxed atmosphere of the West Coast that made her feel so comfortable. Others believed that Holiday wanted to seize the last chance fate had given her to showcase her immense talent. It is difficult to say which of these hypotheses is closest to the truth. What is certain is that “Body And Soul” is the heartbreaking testimony of a great singer.

As part of the popular “Verve Acoustic Sounds Series,” Universal Music Japan presents the sonically impressive remastering of this jazz classic as a limited edition Japan SHM-SACD in a mini LP cardboard sleeve with OBI stripe. The original recording sessions for “Body And Soul” took place on January 3, 4, 7, and 9, 1957, at Verve Studios, under the direction of legendary producer Norman Granz.

This title is an SHM SACD. This format is the further development of the single-layer SACD and uses a particularly light-transparent plastic (Super High Material). It allows a much better readability of the pit-land structures on the surface than is possible with hybrid SACDs. Universal’s SHM SACDs are generally re-digitized to DSD from the albums’ master tapes without any changes. SHM SACDs can be played on any SACD player. Please do not use L’Art du Son or alcohol-based cleaning agents. – Please note: All titles are designed by Universal Music as limited edition collector’s items for the Japanese market.

Lista pieselor

1.    Body And Soul
2.    They Can’t Take That Away From Me
3.    Darn That Dream
4.    Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off
5.    Comes Love
6.    Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good To You
7.    Embraceable You
8.    Moonlight In Vermont