Billie Holiday: Remixed & Reimagined

By: Sarah Moore

Billie Holiday: Remixed & Reimagined (Sony Legacy) takes classic recordings of Miss Lady Day and puts them in a more modern context. It sounds like what she could be doing if she were still alive today. For the most part, the arrangements are more danceable and upbeat, and while Holiday sings in the same rhythm as the original recordings, the various DJs put their own spin (no pun intended) on the legend’s vocal tracks. While her recordings were in their own time modern, the cleaned-up sound makes her voice more accessible to the contemporary listeners. DJ Logic lends his talents to “Glad To Be Unhappy,” a symphonic introduction that turns Motown meets trip-hop. One might be disappointed to find her epic signature song “Strange Fruit” missing, but her famous version of Gershwin’s “Summertime” fortunately makes an appearance, reimagined by Organica. However, one shouldn’t rely on this release in lieu of the original recordings to acquaint them with the music of the late, great Billie Holiday.

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