DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND APPRECIATION OF BRITISH JAZZ
FROM ANY ERA AND STYLE BUT WITH THE EMPHASIS ON MODERN JAZZ

Sunday, December 02, 2012

0263 Billie Laine [Indigo Mood] FLAC 4(11.20)

Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
The 1950s and 1960s produced a rash of singers trying to break into the music business and producers were eager to sign almost anyone who could sing in tune or close to it, look good and perhaps play an instrument. The public demand for pop music, the new rock and roll and most other forms of music was huge. There were many 'one hit wonders' and even more 'no hit wonders' who sank without trace. It was a tough old business.
Billie Laine (who was?) born in Trinidad came to the UK in the late 1950s to follow a musical career following some minor success in her home country. She was taken up by pianist Bill McGuffie, who provides the accompaniment here with his Quartet.
Billie was not destined for fame. She had a handful of roles in TV, made a forgettable single after this first ep recorded in 1961, and then just seemed to disappear around 1970.
She sings with a strong Trinidadian accent, the Quartet plays quite nicely behind her and she looks good on the sheepskin rug.
But it's not really surprising that she never made it.

Bill McGuffie - piano
unknown - guitar
unknown - bass
unknown - drums
Billie Laine - vocals

01 Gone With The Wind (Magidson, Wrubel) (2:41)
02 We'll Be Together Again (Fischer, Laine) (3:23)
03 Sometimes I'm Happy (Caesar, Youmans) (2:31)
04 Mood Indigo (Bigard, Ellington, Mills) (2:45)

Label: Philips BBE 12438
Recorded: 1961
Lineage: EP>FLAC
Posted by at
Labels: ,

16 comments:

  1. аффтор2 December 2012 at 09:38

    thanks a lot.
    BTW, what a wonderful hoster this dropbox.com is!
    after all the RS misadventures is like a breath of fresh air.
    and the uploaded EP is really worth listening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BritJazz2 December 2012 at 10:03

      Thanks for the feedback on DB - it's good to know and your experience tallies with others'. Glad to hear you like the obscure Billie too.

      Delete
    2. BritJazz8 December 2012 at 07:12

      Thanks, boogieman. We have it in the pipeline along with quite a number of others but at our slow rate of posting it may be a while.

      Delete
  2. zoot2 December 2012 at 09:39

    many thanks bluebird for this real rarity. actually she is much better than I expected. real mix of influences both black and white but, despite the name, none from Billie. but not exactly like anyone else, especially with that rather endearing diction. not a good breather but worth more than obscurity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AmyBRAINS2 December 2012 at 10:36

    MAMMA MIA!
    It's a wonderful album.
    Many, many thanks BritJazz.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3 December 2012 at 15:28

    I'd grab this for McGuffie anyway...thanks bluebird.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tardy3 December 2012 at 22:35

    Thanks - this sounds like fun!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jaffa5 December 2012 at 13:35

    This is a safe bet for any blind-fold test ! Her diction and accent are really unusal; her intonation and rhythm vaguely reminiscent of Chris Connor on the two faster tracks, I'd say. And I fully agree with Zoot - she occasionally draws breath where she shouldn't ;-)
    Anyway - what a wonderful surprise. Thanks very much !!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. boogieman6 December 2012 at 21:59

    Thanks. By the way, has any serious academic / research work been conducted on the very significant contribution of West Indian Jazz musicians (and singers) to BritJazz ? If there is any book on the subject, I'd love to get the reference(s).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BritJazz7 December 2012 at 11:40

      Not that I know of, boogieman. Anyone?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7 December 2012 at 14:35

      Here's a little snippet that I came across by our friend Simon Spillett.

      http://www.jazzscript.co.uk/extra/art.yelbird.htm

      Delete
    3. boogieman7 December 2012 at 22:27

      Thanks for the link, much interesting.
      Cheers

      Delete
    4. BritJazz8 December 2012 at 07:11

      Thanks, jazzuk. Lots of interest in there and excellent writing too.

      Delete
  8. boogieman6 December 2012 at 22:01

    p.s. you can safely re-post Shake Keane's In my Condition EP from my blog. We're in Decembre 12, the 50 years copyright has expired. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unknown31 January 2013 at 12:22

    Thank you!!!

    Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rodney14 June 2015 at 11:17

    https://cjoint.net/?awrs7rvqpm

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)