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this billie holiday story

ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,097 Posts
edited May 2015 in Strut Central
this interview with jonathan hari has a really interesting billie holiday story (and analysis of the drug war)

http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2015/4/7/johann_harri_the_hunting_of_billie

are there any good docs about her people have seen/heard?

  Comments

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I don't know any docs.
    But she did a great live in the TV studio set for CBS back in the day.



  • bgm722bgm722 3 Posts
    http://selvedgeyard.com/2015/04/08/billie-holidays-sweet-mister-that-chased-her-dogggone-blues-away/

    pretty cool and quick piece with photos about Billie and her dog.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    the ken burns doc has a few segments on billie but i can't think of a proper documentary that has been done on her, which is odd considering her stature and prominence.

    Is "lady sings the blues" still respected?
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Was Lady Sings The Blues ever respected?

    I saw it back in the 70s. Liked it. But I like most all music bio movies.

    Diana Ross Ross won lots of praise. Kind of thing Hollywood likes. Playing against type. Portraying an addict. Imitating a singer.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    maybe it was ross who got the acclaim not so much the movie itself.

    i think we need a batmon to weigh in on this....
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:
    maybe it was ross who got the acclaim not so much the movie itself.

    i think we need a batmon to weigh in on this....

    Ross got acclaim and furthered it w/ Mahogany.
    Its respected in the Local Black Exp as a film, but any true Holiday fan knows its a not the real.
    2015 is Holiday's B-day anniversary and theres some tribute albums dropping.

    It weird that a comprehensive doc or a Hollywood biopic considering how big Holiday USED to be to the general public.
    I think they missed the boat whereas when Frida Kahlo developed her mainstream appeal they gave her a film during her heat.

    There were rumors of Mary J. Blige back in the day, but I think that was just folks trying to equate Mary's personal life and occasional scatting via Anita Baker that she could portray Holiday. While Trenchcoat Soul artist Miki Howard does a modern tribute album and portrays Billie in Malcom X.

    Billie's heat isnt propped up the way i saw it throughout the 80's & 90's.And that was for an icon from the damn 30's/40's.
    Meanwhile the new generation is talmbout Nina Simone.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    billie holliday has no cache or currency with the new generation, but 9/10 female vocalists studying jazz formally imitate her to the point of parody.
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,097 Posts
    bgm722 said:

    Thanks! At least that's *something*.
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,097 Posts
    batmon said:

    It weird that a comprehensive doc ... considering how big Holiday USED to be to the general public.

    This is really weird to me too. She was a major figure whose legacy seems to still hold weight among older folks. She also had a really interesting life. There must be books about her, though. F*ck, I hate reading...
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    There is an autobio, Lady Sings The Blues, that is generally considered embellished.

    In the 70s (I imagine the movie had something to do with this) there were lots of reissues. Many stayed in print through the 80s. There were things you could always sell. But as has been pointed out people don't seem to care too much.

    In terms of jazz vocals, and influence on other musicians/singers, Simone can not be compared to Billie.
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