Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955 - photo 1
Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955 - photo 2

Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955

Lot 168
28.09.2023 13:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 2 016
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1016380
Lot 168 | Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955
Estimate value
£ 2 000 – 3 000
Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955

Billie Holiday

HOLIDAY, Billie (1915-1959).



Three rare reel-to-reel master copy studio recordings of Billie Holiday from sessions produced by Norman Granz between April 1952 and August 1955.



‘Holiday’s last significant period in the studio was with Verve in the 50s, and this is the best known and most problematic music she made. Her voice had already lost most of its youthful shine and ebullience... Sometimes the voice is funereal; then it takes on a persuasive inner lilt which insists that her greatness has endured. And the best of the interpretations, as they are through all these records, show how compelling Holiday could still be.’ Cook & Morton, 652.



As many of Norman Granz’ studio recording sessions pre-dated the wide use of magnetic tape for mastering, some sessions were recorded direct-to-disc on acetates. When magnetic tape had superseded direct-to-disc as the dominant recording format, Granz transferred his masters to tape, and the original lacquers were shelved. Based on the 1956 master copy date, four years after the session date, these tapes were most likely made as “Copy Masters” at the time of the master disc to tape transfer, so that if anything were to happen to the master, the studio would have a backup. Sometime in the late 1960s, horrified at Granz' request to dispose of the superfluous session tapes and acetates, his then assistant Eric Miller requested to keep them, to which Granz replied ‘Sure, it’ll give you something to do in your retirement.'



The earliest on ¼-inch audiotape, the original box inscribed on the label ‘Billie Holliday [sic], Master Copy’, and listing two recording sessions, the first ‘L.A. April ’52’ for If The Moon Turns Green, Remember and Autumn in N.Y., the second ‘NYC 27 July ’52’ for My Man, Lover Come Back to Me and Stormy Weather, the master copied on 7 June 1956 by Fine Sound Inc., New York, the tracks released as part of the albums An Evening With Billie Holiday (1953) and Billie Holiday (1954); the next on ¼-inch Scotch Brand tape, in an original audiotape box inscribed ‘Billie Holiday – Master Copy’, and listing two recording sessions, the first on ‘25 July ’52’ (in New York) for Yesterday, He’s Funny That Way and I Can’t Face The Music, the second on ‘14 April ’54’ (in New York) for How Deep Is The Ocean, What A Little Moonlite [sic] Can Do and I Cried For You, the tracks released as part of the albums An Evening With Billie Holiday (1953) and Billie Holiday (1954); the latest of the three recordings on ¼-inch audiotape, in an original Reeves Soundcraft box inscribed ‘Billie Holiday, Norman Granz, Master Copy,’ with track listing Ain’t Mibehavin’ and Everything Happens To Me (from a 14 February 1955 session in New York), and When Your Lover Has Gone and Nice Work If You Can Get It (from a 23 August 1955 session in New York), the tracks released as part of the albums Stay With Me (1958) and Velvet Mood (1956); accompanied by Miller’s handwritten notes which additionally detail the master numbers and the individual musicians who formed Billie’s orchestra for each session. Provenance: Norman Granz (1918-2001; record producer) – Eric Miller (1941-2017; Granz’ assistant and protégé).





Further details

These recordings are offered for sale without copyright, broadcast rights, performers consents and other reproduction rights. The buyer must apply to the relevant parties to obtain such clearance and consents as may be necessary.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
28.09.2023 – 28.09.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
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