Lacquer disc of Billie Holiday master recordings

Object Details

Recorded by

Billie Holiday, American, 1915 - 1959

Produced by

Norman Granz, 1918 - 2001

Written by

Harold Arlen, American, 1905 - 1986

Ted L. Koehler, American, 1894 - 1973

Jerome Kern, American, 1885 - 1945

Oscar Hammerstein II, American, 1895 - 1960

Sigmund Romberg, Hungarian, 1887 - 1951

Otto Abels Harbach, American, 1873 - 1963

Caption

This transcription disc, dated 1952, has master recordings of Billie Holiday. Holiday sings “My Man”, “Lover Come Back To Me”, Stormy Weather and Yesterdays. Details of the recording process are heard with the technician listing takes, Holiday singing a retake of Stormy Weather, as well as making a note to herself before singing. The sound quality of the master recording disc is exceptional.

Description

An instantaneous transcription disc, the label notes the Client as Norman Granz, the Artist as Billie Holiday, and the Date as 7/28/52. The record contains the master recordings of the songs "My Man," "Lover Come Back to Me," "Stormy Weather," and "Yesterdays."

Consists of: Instantaneous Transcription Disc (a) and Original Disc Sleeve (b).

2010.50.2a: Instantaneous transcription disc.

The recording on side 1 begins with a man listing the take of the first recording, "C 839 take 6." The first song on the recording is "My Man." As a man lists the take for the next song, "C 840 take 4," Billie Holiday can be heard making a quick note before she begins to sing "Just press off because [Inaudible]" She then sings "Lover Come Back to Me."

The recording on side 2 begins with a man listing the take "C 841 take 2." Billie Holiday begins singing "Stormy Weather," but the song is cut short after approximately 20 seconds. The take is re-listed as "C 841 take 3." Holiday then begins again with "Stormy Weather." The listing of the second song on the recording is distorted, but should be C 842 take 2. Holiday then sings "Yesterdays."

2010.50.2b: Original disc sleeve. audiodiscs / Audio Device Inc. / 444 Madison Avenue / New York, N.Y.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

1952

Object number

2010.50.2ab

Type

phonograph records

Medium

Instantaneous Transcription Disc (a): lacquer on aluminum;

Disc Sleeve (b): ink on paper

Dimensions

Diameter: 16 in. (40.6 cm)

Place depicted

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Record Albums

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Jazz (Music)

Record ID

nmaahc_2010.50.2ab

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5ac2d8773-534c-4ad6-ba74-a1c6c0dc77ec