Personnel: Billie Holiday (vocals); Romeo Penque (alto saxophone, bass clarinet); Benny Carter, Willie Smith (alto saxophone); Ben Webster, Paul Quinichette, Flip Phillips, Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison, Charlie Shavers, Joe Newman (trumpet); Tony Scott (clarinet); Janet Putnam (harp); Hank Jones (piano, celleste); Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, Bobby Tucker, Wynton Kelly, Billy Taylor (piano); Barney Kessel, Billy Bauer, Kenny Burrell, Freddie Green, Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, John Simmons, Red Callender, Joe Benjamin, Aaron Bell, Leonard Gaskin, Joe Mondragon (bass); Lennie McBrowne, Osie Johnson, Cozy Cole, Alvin Stoller, Chico Hamilton, Larry Bunker, Gus Johnson, Ed Shaughnessy (drums).

Recorded between 1952 and 1959. Includes liner notes by James Isaacs.

Digitally remastered by Tom Ruff.

There is no end in sight to the debate over Billie Holiday's career as a vocalist: Is the essence of her art to be found in her early recordings for Columbia or in the recordings she made for Verve at the end of her short and, by all accounts, miserable life? The early work finds her in clearer voice and singing with energy and conviction, while in the later recordings her voice is ravaged, yet more soulful and perhaps more nuanced. In 1992 Verve made its case for the latter position by releasing a monumental ten-disc box set containing everything Holiday recorded for the company between 1945-1959, and simultaneously released this 16-track sampler as a palliative to those who didn't have 150 dollars lying around. Nothing here will settle the argument for good, but this album does offer a good cross section of the latter part of her career, from the small-ensemble work with pianists Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Rowles to a nice performance of "All the Way" with an orchestra conducted by Ray Ellis. This probably should not be anyone's only Billie Holiday album, but it's a valuable, and at times moving, document of the end of a sad but illustrious career. ~ Rick Anderson

Billie Holiday approached a tune the way jazz instrumentalists do, particularly horn players, and this tendency ripened considerably over the years. Though one can imagine beings from another planet with no knowledge of earthly music falling easily under Billie Holiday's spell, it pays to know that straighter versions of these numbers exist in order to appreciate her improvisational, highly personal approach.

BILLIE'S BEST features an excellent repertoire recorded with stellar small combos during the '50s, Holiday's late period with Verve. Also included is one track using full strings that was recorded in the last year of her life, 1959. Lady Day receives extraordinary obligato accompaniment from Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ben Webster, and Charlie Shavers on many of these efforts, and her performances leave one appreciating the virtues of aging.