One For Lady (Mod) [CD]

Recorded at The Victor Studio in Tokyo on February 13, 1971, this album pays tribute to Billie Holiday, featuring some of her beloved tracks and best compositions. Japanese vocalist Kimiko Kasai, known for her collaborations with jazz icons such as Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and Stan Getz, joins forces with Mac Waldron, who initially gained prominence in the New York jazz scene alongside Charles Mingus in the mid-1950s, before leading his own trio and backing Billie Holiday herself for several years. Remastered and reissued for 2024, 'One for Lady' is smoky and sultry in all the right ways and highlights Kasai's remarkable delivery and Waldron's expressive piano playing that enriches some truly standout tracks including "Lover Man" and "Willow Weep for Me".