Generally, I’m not a fan of tribute albums. But Cassandra Wilson’s Coming Forth By Day, a tribute to Billie Haliday (and to commemorate her 100th Birthday), is something special. Coming Forth By Day, produced by Nick Launay who worked with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, has a contemporary sound. Van Dyke Parks (remember him?) does the string arrangements. T Bone Burnett, Kevin Breit, and Nick Zinner ( of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) play guitars. As you can see, Coming Forth By Day is an All-Star affair. Great sound! I’ve seen Cassandra Wilson in concert twice. She’s amazing! If you’re a Billy Holliday fan, or a Cassandra Wilson fan, this is a must-buy. GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
1 Don’t Explain
2 Billie’s Blues
3 Crazy He Calls Me
4 You Go To My Head
5 All of Me
6 The Way You Look Tonight
7 Good Morning Heartache
8 What a Little Moonlight Can Do
9 These Foolish Things
10 Strange Fruit
11 I’ll Be Seeing You
12 Last Song (For Lester)
I am a Billie Holliday fan – who isn’t? – and there are some good people associated with this, but I’m not sure. I generally prefer the real thing.
Jeff, you can listen to samples of this CD online. Then you can decide if you like it or not. I never buy a CD without listening to samples. I’ve been burned too many times.
If it’s not Lady Day, then I’ll pass, so this isn’t for me. I don’t listen to her that often, but when I do it’s the real thing I want.
Rick, I completely appreciate your point of view. But I would listen to Cassandra Wilson sing the phone book (remember them?).
Have one right here, George. It’s handy for the information in the front, as well as checking landline phone numbers of people, which I do sometimes.
Rick, it’s been years since I’ve used a phone book. I just GOOGLE the person, place, or thing I’m interested in to find the phone number.