A moment to honor the legacy of 鈥楲ady Day鈥�
April 7 marked the centennial of the birth of Billie Holiday. The day was commemorated with a slew of tribute concerts and a posthumous star on the Apollo Walk of Fame.
April 7 marked the centennial of the birth of Billie Holiday. The day was commemorated with a slew of tribute concerts and a posthumous star on the Apollo Walk of Fame.
Jazz appreciation month听has extra significance this year. April 7 marked the centennial of Billie Holiday鈥檚 birth. The Harlem native was commemorated with a slew of tribute concerts and a posthumous star on the Apollo Walk of Fame, firmly placing her in the constellation made up of such musical legends as Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown.
Her music 鈥� famous for its unique tempo and depth of emotion 鈥� shines with fresh starlight as well. Two popular jazz vocalists recently released albums that explore her songbook. Cassandra Wilson鈥檚 鈥淐oming Forth by Day鈥� (Legacy Recordings) and Jos茅 James鈥檚 鈥淵esterday I Had the Blues鈥� (Blue Note) demonstrate how differently Holiday鈥檚 repertoire can be interpreted: Ms. Wilson gives it a sepia-toned experimental chamber rock treatment, while Mr. James employs a traditional piano, double bass, and drums rhythm section.
鈥淏illie Holiday is a true icon,鈥� explains Kim Nalley, a San Francisco-based vocalist and scholar. Ms. Nalley portrayed the title character in the 2006 musical 鈥淟ady Day in Love鈥� and will perform 鈥淭he Music of Billie Holiday鈥� with her band at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco on July 17.
The image of a singer with a flower behind her ear easily identifies Holiday, Nalley notes. But Holiday鈥檚 influence can also be found throughout popular culture. Dark post-punk rockers Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded 鈥淪trange Fruit,鈥� one of Holiday鈥檚 best-known numbers, in 1987. In 2009, Electronica practitioner Pretty Lights sampled her songs on two of his tracks. And writer/public radio hero David Sedaris鈥檚 comedic impression of her singing style was an early calling card.
Nalley also hears some Holiday in artists as disparate as R&B vocalist Macy Gray and singer/songwriter Madeleine Peyroux.听
鈥淧eople seem to play up her tragedies,鈥� Nalley laments. 鈥淏ut she was a genius who changed singing forever. She was the first microphone singer who wasn鈥檛 a belter,鈥� she adds. 鈥淎nd Billie didn鈥檛 try to be hip and didn鈥檛 do tunes fast. She 鈥榡ust鈥� connected with people emotionally.鈥�