In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook is a 1994 jazz album by American trumpeter Terence Blanchard and vocalist Jeanie Bryson, released on the Columbia label.[2]
Overview
Terence Blanchard plays soothing, appealing ballads, uptempo tunes and wonderful melodies on muted and open horn, cleanly and fully hitting high and low notes, while executing mellow or intense statements smoothly and with flair. His guest vocalist Jeanie Bryson singing immortal compositions previously made anthems by legend Billie Holiday.
Critical reception
Scott Yanow of Allmusic stated "Trumpeter Terence Blanchard's tribute to Billie Holiday is a rather melancholy and often downbeat affair. Sounding less original than usual (he displays a strong Wynton Marsalis influence and also hints at times at both Miles Davis and Thad Jones), there is little joy to these renditions of Lady Day material other than the second half of "I Cried for You." The trumpeter's arrangements for the unswinging string section is occasionally oppressive, sometimes border on muzak and tends to weigh down the music." Zan Stewart of The Los Angeles Times added "...Blanchard will explore an earlier era on "In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook" (Columbia), his fat, sassy trumpet tone accompanied by a string section".[3]
[1]