Billie Holiday Lady Sings The Blues 1970s German VG+/VG

BILLIE HOLIDAY - LADY SINGS THE BLUES

Experience the heartbreaking, autumnal peak of the defining vocal stylist of the 20th century with this notable German reissue of Billie Holiday’s Lady Sings the Blues. Originally recorded between 1954 and 1956 for Norman Granz's Clef and Verve imprints, this particular LP was repackaged for the West German market as part of the celebrated Verve Jazz budget series (specifically entry No. 8), distributed via PolyGram’s Metro Records subsidiary. The album features iconic session backings from timeless jazz heavyweights including Wynton Kelly on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and the twin-horn brilliance of Charlie Shavers and Paul Quinichette. Holiday's voice on these late-career sessions is legendary for its frayed, world-weary texture—a quality that imbues foundational masterpieces like "Good Morning Heartache", "Strange Fruit", and the autobiographical title track with a devastating level of lived emotional truth. Housed in the series' distinct, standardized geometric Verve Jazz frame jacket, this German pressing remains highly prized by collectors for its remarkably quiet, high-grade European vinyl compound.

Early to mid-1970s reissue from Germany.  Released as Verve Jazz Series #8, label is Metro Records, catalog #2356 079.  Made in Germany, mono pressing.

Sleeve grades VG.  Would be VG+ except for an ~1 inch (3 cm) seam burst in the middle of the top seam (not really visible unless you put your hand into the sleeve).  Super clean front cover with original sticker in excellent condition.  Back cover has a little pen writing (in Norwegian - this copy was picked up in Norway) and a minor whitish stain (maybe saltwater or baking soda mixture splashed onto it) in the upper right corner. Other than that, back cover is excellent with basically no wear.

Vinyl grades VG+.  Plays through clean with no issues, but remember the original recording is from 1953-54.  Vinyl surface is very clean with probably about 5 light surface marks and hairlines total across both sides.