repress due late may 2022
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron: Left Alone Revisited
A group of men standing next to each other
Description automatically generated with medium confidence
Label: Enja
Cat No: ENJA 91411
Format: 180 gram LP x 2 gatefold sleeve
Barcode: 5060149623466
Re-mastering by: Cicely Baston at Alchemy/Air Mastering
Mal Waldron's first tribute to Billie Holiday, titled Left Alone, was recorded in 1959, mere months before the singer's death. He returned to salute the legendary vocalist on several occasions since then, with this recording likely being his final tribute, recorded less than a year before his own death. Waldron, who worked with Holiday during her last years, is intimately familiar with her takes of the six standards heard on this disc, along with her own "Lady Sings the Blues." Archie Shepp's often gritty tenor sax is reminiscent of the texture of Holiday's voice, yet he perfectly complements Waldron's lush piano. They also pack a punch with their stark performance of "Left Alone" (Shepp's occasional reed squeaks seem deliberate, as if to imitate breaks in her voice). Waldron also recites Holiday's lyrics set to his composition at the conclusion of the LP. Shepp switches to soprano sax for an emotional take of "Everything Happens to Me" and "I Only Have Eyes for You," with the latter song sounding as if the unheard singer is being ignored by her love interest. Shepp's "Blues for 52nd Street" is both sassy and swinging. This instrumental salute to Billie Holiday is one of the best albums ever to honour her memory. by Ken Dryden/AMG
Track listing
Side A: 1. Easy Living
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
3. Everything Happens
To Me
Side B:
1. Left Alone
2. When Your Lover Has Gone
Side C:
1. I Only Have Eyes For You
2. Blues For 52nd Street
Side D:
1. Porgy
2. Lady Sings The Blues
3. Left Alone (Spoken Lyrics)
Personnel: Archie Shepp – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone & vocal
Mal Waldron – piano
Produced by Werner Aldinger
Recorded Feb 7 & 8 2002 at la muse en circuit, Paris
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