Ladies Sing the Blues

Billie Holiday

Overview

"This disc offers 16 classic performances from a handful of the finest female blues vocalists of all time. The DVD contains a standard full-frame transfer. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. There are neither subtitles nor closed captions on this release. In addition to instant access to any of the songs or the musical solos, the disc weaves in a narration that provides background information on the performers and the songs. Fans of singers like Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, and others should greatly enjoy this View Video title."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/30/2001
UPC:	0033909231398
Original Release:	2001
Rating:	NR
Source:	VIEW VIDEO
Sound:	[Dolby Digital]
Language:	English
Time:	1:00:00
Sales rank:	49,164

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Billie Holiday	Primary Artist
Bessie Smith	Actor
Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra	Primary Artist
Dinah Washington	Actor
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra	Primary Artist
Sarah Vaughan	Actor
Jesse Crump	Primary Artist
Ethel Waters	Actor
Count Basie	Primary Artist
Peggy Lee	Actor
Connee Boswell	Primary Artist
Billie Holiday	Actor
Dinah Washington	Primary Artist
Ethel Waters	Primary Artist
Ruth Brown	Primary Artist
Sister Rosetta Tharpe	Primary Artist
Bessie Smith	Primary Artist
Sarah Vaughan	Primary Artist
Peggy Lee	Primary Artist
Ida Cox	Primary Artist
Helen Humes	Primary Artist
Lena Horne	Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Tom Jenz	Director
Gus Arnheim	Composer
Roy Alfred	Composer
Johnny Green	Composer
Billy May	Composer
Arthur Freed	Composer
Leonard Feather	Composer
W.C. Handy	Composer
Kansas Joe McCoy	Composer
Billie Holiday	Composer
George Gershwin	Composer

Editorial Reviews

A variety of historical clips (all featuring female singers) are included on this worthy video -- 16 selections in all. Unfortunately, there is little chronological information included, but the quality of the music overrides any packaging faults. Bessie Smith performs "St. Louis Blues" from the film of the same name; Ethel Waters is on two lesser clips; Billie Holiday sings "Fine and Mellow" from The Sound of Jazz telecast; Ida Cox is seen in her only film appearance; and there are generally memorable clips featuring Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Connee Boswell, Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, Helen Humes, and Peggy Lee (her "I Cover the Waterfront" is haunting). ~ Scott Yanow