Billie Holiday Billie Holiday With Ray Ellis And His Orchestra

This Billie Holiday album was recorded in March 1959 and released four months later, in July 1959, the same month Holiday died; after her death the album was renamed "Last Recording". Al Cohn on tenor sax and Milt Hinton on bass are among the several notable session musicians in Ray Ellis's Orchestra which provides horn-driven accompaniment on most of this material.

This was Billie Holiday's penultimate album, recorded when her body was telling her enough was enough. During the sessions with arranger Ray Ellis she was drinking vodka neat, as if it were tap water. Despite her ravaged voice (the sweetness had long gone), she was still an incredible singer. The feeling and tension she manages to put into almost every track set this album as one of her finest achievements. "You've Changed" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" are high art performances from the singer who saw life from the bottom up.

"Lady In Satin" is Billie Holiday’s penultimate masterpiece. The 1958 gem is one of her finest achievements and a full display of her immortal vocal abilities. Joined by the Ray Ellis Orchestra, Holiday dazzles on tunes including “For Heaven's Sake”, “You Don't Know What Love Is” and “I'm A Fool To Want You”. The album is one of Holiday’s personal favorites and an emotional listen from start to finish. It is one of jazz’s bestselling albums and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. Absolutely essential.