Previously unreleased outing by Lady Day and "Buddy" sees the remastered light of day. As part of their "WDR The Cologne Broadcast Series" Jazzline continues its deep dig into unreleased live jazz sessions with Live In Cologne 1954. Billie Holiday and the Buddy DeFranco Quartet were touring Europe on a package tour entitled "Jazz Club USA," making the rounds in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, and Germany throughout January of '54. It was Holiday's first European tour, and rumor has it that the star was badly beaten by her husband the night before the Cologne show, forcing Holiday to appear on stage wearing dark sunglasses. Includes some astounding renditions of some of Billie's most cherished songs, including "I Cover The Waterfront," "Billie's Blues," and "My Man", as well a whole slab and a half of wax dedicated to some of Buddy DeFranco's killer bebop tunes, including the swinging "Sweet Georgia Brown," and "Now's The Time." Includes 2 bonus tracks, "Skittish" featuring Jim McNeely, Marc Johnson, John Scofield, Adam Nussbaum & WDR Big Band Cologne and "Rifftide," which has a supergroup lineup of John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. 13 tracks in all housed in a gatefold sleeve, released by Jazzline.

• 180g vinyl double LP housed in gatefold jacket with liner notes
• remastered from original master recording
• previously unreleased
• includes printed inner sleeve with lyrics
• music label: Jazzline 2019

reviewed by Ralphy Corduroy 2/2019