Playing some Billie Holiday and reminiscing

Now playing Lady Day herself... Billie Holiday. As a kid, I didn’t really like this music as I was into heavy metal and punk. It was with the Style Council that I backtracked... James Brown, Motown, the Rat Pack, and then the jazz greats. My dad used to play lots of this — Satchmo, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and others. Slowly those old records stuck to me. And when I was old enough to afford them, I got them. 

Absolutely love Billie Holiday. One time, while working late at Burger Heaven around Christmastime, I played the CD of this record. There were few people in the resto as this side of 5th Avenue usually quieted down around 8pm. A few songs later, this man at the bar who seemed to appreciate the music came over. He introduced himself as the son of Flip Phillips who played saxophone for Billie Holiday. And he talked about his dad, Billie, and jazz for about 30 minutes while I listened; enthralled at every word. He told stories that his dad first recounted to him while growing up. The music... became all too real for me.

Well, I pulled out a bottle of Corona, and we toasted. He doffed his hat then went out into the cold New York night. And I listened to one more song — “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” and closed shop.

Thanks for introducing me to this music and Billie Holiday, dad.