A tribute to
Anita O'Day's idol
Billie Holiday -- who had died less than two years before the making of this recording --
O'Day's performances here are more notable for what she didn't borrow from her vocal role model. Selections like the title track find her generating a slightly bitter tone quality and languorous phrasing in the manner of
Holiday, but most of this beautiful record find
O'Day going her own way in a more forthright, less vulnerable manner. While
O'Day's version of "God Bless the Child" doesn't really make it, just about everything else is marvelous. Half of the tracks feature a small group led by guitarist
Barney Kessel while the other half -- the more effective tracks, actually -- feature now-exuberant, now-exquisite arrangements for big band by
Johnny Mandel that make haunting use of muted brass at ballad tempos. This was
O'Day's favorite among her Norgran/Verve albums. ~ Richard S. Ginell