Search - Mary Coughlan :: Sings Billie Holiday

The wonderful world of Mary and Billie

Carol S. Welcher | 11/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am sorry but I couldn't wait. A friend from Ireland sent me this CD. The combination of Billie Holiday songs and Mary Coughlan's beautiful voice seemed too good to waste time. If you already know Mary Coughlan, you also might know that it's not the first time for her that she covers Billie Holiday song. But this CD is different!! Mary manage to create the admospfer which is so typical for Billie while she adds to it with her own -hard to describe- voice. I'll give it a try: warm, emotional, angry, hurt and sensitive. All ingredients you need to be able to sing Billie without giving your audience the feeling that it was only a good attempt. When you listen to this double (!) CD you feel and see both Mary and Billie, Don't ask me how she does it. Take for instance 'You'll be there'. You see it happening and you feel the desire, even if you never were it this position yourself (but who wasn't?). Or take the famous song 'God Bless the child'. You want to listen to this gift without being disturbed by daily things like a ringing telephone or a neighbour knocking at your door. The musicians are briljant. They manage to stay close to the original arrangements, to support Mary's voice and to add to those two essential ingredients by showing their creative professionalism in a modest way. If I only could write this review in Dutch, because even than it would be difficult to find the right words to describe this exceptional CD! Do you like Billie Holiday? Get this CD! Do you like Mary Coughlan? Get this CD! Do you like both? Get this CD! You don't know either of them? It's high time you allow yourself an introduction to the wonderful world of Mary and Billie! Eat it, drink it and enjoy!"

Serendipitous

Carol S. Welcher | Manassas, Virginia USA | 11/04/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I backed into this lady through a "Dorothy Parker" web site. One month later and I can't get enough of her. Don't go here if you want Lady Day come here if you've heard Mary before and want to see where she is going. Wonderful interpretations as only she can do, Nice backups are a little too "pat" for most Jazzoids in the US but listen to her......first album to this and ENJOY!"

The day of an Irish lady

Carlos Torres Moura | Brazil | 03/23/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mary Coughlan is a pop singer with a voice that remembers Marianne Faithfull and Marlene Dietrich. Her rendition to Lady Day's classical numbers, recorded alive in Dublin, shows us a great surprise and a personal style with her "blasés" but emotional performances. The best of Billie Holiday is here - from a melancholic swing in "All of me" to "Strange Fruit" sang "a cappella". Highlight in this double-CD is Professor Peter O'Brien at the piano. He proves that irishes know play jazz as the best American masters"