Billie Holiday and Nnenna Freelon are very accomplished jazz singers of their generations who happen to be Black women. There the similarities end. Whereas Ms. Holiday sung languidly, behind the beat, with a cool that masked (sometimes, and in varying degrees) a profound sense of personal pain, Ms. Freelon sings on the beat, vibrantly and buoyantly, and does so in many styles. Whether singing soul, funk, jazz, r & b, or cool jazz, she pulls her singing off impressively.

But all jazz singers ultimately owe a debt to Lady Day, and Ms. Freelon pays hers here, with this Grammy-nominated album. Rather than imitate or re-create Billie Holiday, she takes these compositions and willfully does them (except for "Now or Never") in a completely different way than the originals. We have "God Bless the Child" a la 70s soul; "Strange Fruit" almost as free jazz; "Them There Eyes" as cool jazz; and (believe it or not), "Willow Weep for Me" as funk, to name but four examples. These certainly are not recreations of Lady Day; they are creations and, as Ms. Freelon points out, Billie Holiday says "No two people are alike, and its got to be that way with music, or it isnt music."

So, does this music work?

"Dont Explain" certainly does; this arrangement is outstanding. As to the rest: its a matter of your personal taste. Ms. Freelon always sings well, and she and Nick Phillips do a fine job producing this album. The album is worthy of a Grammy nomination, although I personally would have picked a few unnominated ones from 2005 over this one.

But to me, the gold standard for reinterpretations of Lady Day is Carmen McRaes "Carmen Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Songs." To give this c.d. 5 stars is to suggest it is as good as Carmens album. It isnt. I admire this album; I absolutely adore Carmens, and believe it to be possibly the finest vocal jazz album ever made.

Recommended nevertheless. Ms. Freelon is a very fine singer who should be heard. RC ~Amazon~ ”

Tracklist
1. I Didnt Know What Time It Was
2. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
3. Dont Explain
4. God Bless The Child
5. Strange Fruit
6. Willow Weep For Me
7. Balm In Gilead
8. Them There Eyes
9. Only You Will Know
10. Youve Changed
11. Now Or Never
12. Lover Man
13. Left Alone
14. Interlude - Little Brown Bird
15. All Of Me

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