Tenor saxophonist
Johnny Griffin pays tribute to
Billie Holiday, who had died exactly two years earlier, on this ballad-oriented set, which has been reissued on CD.
Griffin is joined by a brass section (either five or seven pieces), plus a rhythm section and strings (the latter dominated by cellos), for his warm interpretations of nine songs associated with
Billie Holiday, plus his original "White Gardenia." The arrangements, provided by
Melba Liston and
Norman Simmons, are tasteful, and the lyrical music is well-performed, if not overly memorable. Worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow