Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday

Nnenna Freelon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 23, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B000A7DVOK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,988 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Creation of Lady Day, February 13, 2006

By 

Rick Cornell "RC" (Reno, Nv USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday (Audio CD)

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 '70's 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 it's got to be that way with music, or it isn't music."

So, does this music work?

"Don't Explain" certainly does; this arrangement is outstanding. As to the rest: it's 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 McRae's "Carmen Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Songs." To give this c.d. 5 stars is to suggest it is as good as Carmen's album. It isn't. I admire this album; I absolutely adore Carmen's, 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

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GrownUpMusic.com recommended!, November 12, 2005

By 

Larry Harris "GrownUpMusic.com" (Los Angeles, Nirvana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday (Audio CD)

We love Nnenna. We love Billie. So what's not to love? In truth, this isn't simply a record of Freelon mimicking Holiday. By no means. Holiday is merely the starting point, as Freelon and her first-rate band interpret Lady Day's standards in their own inimitable way. "God Bless the Child" gets a funky beat and "Lover Man" becomes one of those late-night deejay favorites that just oozes R&B sexiness. And you haven't heard "All of Me," until Freelon infuses it with reggae flair. This is not Diana Krall jazz here, folks. This is jazz that draws you in and sits your ass in a table up front where you can soak up the vibe. If you get a chance to see Freelon live, seize it!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It is a nice album...., October 22, 2005

By 

Willie Tayag (Manila,Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday (Audio CD)

I like this album but I cannot play repeatedly,it's a little monotonous.
If you're looking for something truly adventurous and never boring, passionate and sensuous in the 'jazz standards' category, then,please listen to 'Lazy Afternoon' by Regina Belle.
You will never thank me enough for that :-)