Billie Holiday The Ultimate Collection (2005)

There's a moment on Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection when Lester Young slips into his sax solo and the camera zooms in on Billie Holiday's face. Glistening eyes, arching brow and an uncontrollable smile reveal anticipation, awe and admiration. The pair joins an allstar cast including Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge and Gerry Mulligan among others for a 1957 CBS performance of "Fine And Mellow . Earlier, a scene from the 1947 film New Orleans portrays an exuberant Louis Armstrong bursting with delight during "The Blues Are Brewin' while the stunning, gardenia-encrusted Miss Holiday sings by his side. With ten rare performances, the DVD provides an overview of Lady Day's career and provides a glimpse into the singer's persona.

This remarkable DVD includes rare TV and film performances, an especially rare radio interview with Mike Wallace, an audio-only rehearsal session with pianist Jimmy Rowles, audio interviews with friends and fellow musicians, an interactive timeline and an evocative photo-document gallery featuring hundreds of dates and images, from rare photos to personal letters, plus Lady Day’s complete recording history for major record companies. Performance highlights include three from 1956's Stars Of Jax TV that are seen here for the first time since their original broadcast, Holiday’s first appearance on film, Duke Ellington’s "Saddest Tale," and the classic "Fine And Mellow" with Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and jazz greats.

The archive contains of 3179 tracks from 1899 until 1956 on 168 CDs and 2 books with 180 pages of artist biographies each. High-End mastered at 24-bit and 96 kHz.
The Archive is split into 42 Sets x 4xCD. Each CD is untitled and dedicated to one musician, who mostly appears in different collaborations.

The archive contains of 3179 tracks from 1899 until 1956 on 168 CDs and 2 books with 180 pages of artist biographies each. High-End mastered at 24-bit and 96 kHz.
The Archive is split into 42 Sets x 4xCD. Each CD is untitled and dedicated to one musician, who mostly appears in different collaborations.