Is An Evening with Billie Holiday a good place to start with Billie Holiday?

Yes, An Evening with Billie Holiday is recommended as a starting point for new Billie Holiday listeners. A poignant blend of smoky jazz and blues, showcasing Holiday's rich emotional depth and vocal nuance. Released in 1953, An Evening with Billie Holiday marked one of the final studio albums of her career. At this point, Holiday had already established herself as a pivotal figure in jazz, though she faced significant personal struggles and health issues. This album was recorded at a time when her voice reflected both the power and fragility that defined her artistry.

Who is An Evening with Billie Holiday for?

An Evening with Billie Holiday works well if you're into intimate storytelling through song, short melodic reflections and for evening relaxation.

How many songs are on An Evening with Billie Holiday?

An Evening with Billie Holiday has 8 tracks, running approximately 25 minutes.

An Evening with Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday · 1953

25 min · 8 tracks · blues

A poignant blend of smoky jazz and blues, showcasing Holiday's rich emotional depth and vocal nuance.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Stormy Weather Start here — This track exemplifies Holiday's ability to convey deep emotion through phrasing and subtle vocal inflections, making it a signature piece of her repertoire.
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My Man — With its poignant lyrics and heartfelt delivery, this song captures the essence of longing and heartbreak that resonates throughout the album.
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Tenderly — Holiday's interpretation brings a lush sensitivity to this romantic standard, highlighting her unique ability to evoke vulnerability in her performances.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

68 /100

Alpine

Higher than 93% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong compositions and emotional vocal delivery, though it follows established jazz standards.

What we noticed

Billie Holiday's vocal delivery often employs subtle variations in phrasing and dynamics, enhancing the emotional weight of each song.
Each track is built around classic jazz standards, allowing for improvisational moments that highlight the instrumentalists alongside Holiday's voice.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 8/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

intimate storytelling through song
short melodic reflections
for evening relaxation
hauntingly emotive vocal delivery

Maybe skip if you

seekers of upbeat tempos
prefer lengthy musical explorations

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Critical Peak — This album showcases Holiday's emotional depth, solidifying her legacy as a jazz icon.
Themes: smoky jazz bars· heartbreak and longing· fragile beauty
Moods: Romantic· Chill
Career context: Released in 1953, An Evening with Billie Holiday marked one of the final studio albums of her career. At this point, Holiday had already established herself as a pivotal figure in jazz, though she faced significant personal struggles and health issues. This album was recorded at a time when her voice reflected both the power and fragility that defined her artistry.
Stylistic neighbors: Ella Fitzgerald· Sarah Vaughan· Nina Simone