The Peril of First Impressions
This time, I will quote from a book. It is an example of how one cannot always judge true ability based on a first impression.
It is embarrassing to admit, but I will confess my own Billie Holiday experience. The first record I bought (and listened to) was "Strange Fruit," but this was a poor choice. While I could feel a tremendous intensity and resentment in her singing, it didn't sound like a beautiful voice, and the music felt preachy. I branded it as "I've heard enough" and tucked it away in the back of my record shelf. Later (after a gap of over ten years!), I picked up and listened to other albums of hers. While she still didn't sound like a beautiful singer, not only was there no preachiness, but there was a sense of euphoria (not on Billie's side, but on mine), and it was strangely addictive. I had a change of heart and started buying up Billie's albums (on CD) one after another. Thus, Billie finally became mine (I finally understood her greatness).
(The following is a quote)
While everyone acknowledges that Billie Holiday (1915–1959) was the greatest female jazz vocalist in history, almost no one thought so the first time they heard her. "What a strange singer," is the first impression many people had, doubting her talent. That is why she never once topped a popularity poll. However, as you listen to those records that left a bad impression over and over again, they slowly but surely start to take effect. The first period is the CBS era, from her first recording in 1933 to her move to Decca in 1944; all of these are wonderful, but many people consider the recordings she made for Commodore in the latter half of this period to be her greatest masterpieces. The second period is the Decca era, a time centered on ballads that placed more emphasis on the expression of lyrics than on swing singing, showing her reaching maturity, but her voice was rapidly being lost. By the third period, from the Verve era to her final years with "Lady in Satin" and "The Last Recording," her voice is terrible, but you are overwhelmed by her tenacity and spirit in her singing.
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Billie, Ella, Sarah, Carmen
・Jazz vocals full of personality that color the era
"Jazz Best Record Collection"
By Shoichi Yui
Shincho Bunko