LEE KONITZ - Strings for Holiday (A Tribute To Billie Holiday) (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Always eager to record in new situations, on this CD Lee Konitz is showcased with a string sextet (two violins, violas and cellos), bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Matt Wilson. The cool-toned altoist pays tribute during a dozen songs to both Billie Holiday and (in a more subtle fashion) tenor great Lester Young, two of his early idols. Daniel Schnyder contributed all of the arrangements for the set. Rather than weighing down the proceedings, Schnyder has the strings adding rich harmonies and phrases that seem to anticipate the leader's phrases, and they even swing. Lee Konitz, who added a vibrato to his sound for the project so he could recreate some of Billie Holiday's feeling, handles the ballads and medium-tempo material beautifully. Highlights include "The Man I Love," "I Cried For You," "All Of Me" and "Easy Living." A memorable and heartfelt effort by all concerned. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     The Man I Love 4:26
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
2     You've Changed 5:04
Bill Carey / Carl Fischer
3     God Bless the Child 4:27
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
4     But Beautiful 6:06
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
5     I Cried for You 5:18
Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman
6     Loverman 5:30
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
7     All of Me 4:19
Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons
8     Good Morning Heartache 5:26
Ervin Drake / Dan Fisher / Irene Higginbotham
9     For Heaven's Sake 5:23
Elise Bretton / Sherman Edwards / Don Meyer / Donald Meyer / Sherman Edwards & Donald Meyer
10     Easy Living 4:48
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
11     These Foolish Things 4:46
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
12     For All We Know 3:41
J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Arranged By [String Arrangements], Producer – Daniel Schnyder
Double Bass – Michael Formanek
Drums – Matt Wilson
Viola – Jill Jaffe, Ronald Lawrence
Violin – Cenovia Cummins, Mark Feldman
Violoncello – Daniel Pezzotti, Erik Friedlander