“Left Alone” is the legendary theme that Mal Waldron composed for Billie Holiday, for whom he was the last pianist. With Archie Shepp, another admirer of the singer and, like him, a great lover of duets, Waldron revisits some of the tunes associated with this unique voice. Modesty and emotion are present, and while the shadow of the great Billie hovers over this session, it is not the painful and tortured image that we often associate with her, but a benevolent figure who communicates to the saxophonist and the pianist an expressive force, a sweetness and a fullness of sound that go straight to the heart, and make a place for themselves there for a long time, right next to our most intimate emotions. Remarkable.

Tracklist:

1. Easy Living
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
3. Everything Happen to Me
4. Left Alone
5. When Your Lover has Gone
6. Blues for 52nd Street
7. Porgy
8. Lady Sings the Blues
9. Left Alone (Spoken lyrics)

UPC: 767522914115
Label: Enja Records
Release Date: 12.12.25
Format: Vinyl

Mal Waldron’s first tribute to Billie Holiday, titled Left Alone, was recorded in 1959, mere months before the singer’s death. He returned to salute the legendary vocalist on several occasions since then, with this recording likely being his final tribute, recorded less than a year before his own death. Waldron, who worked with Holiday during her last years, is intimately familiar with her takes of the six standards heard on this disc, along with her own ‘Lady Sings the Blues.’ Archie Shepp’s often gritty tenor sax is reminiscent of the texture of Holiday’s voice, yet he perfectly complements Waldron’s lush piano. They also pack a punch with their stark performance of ‘Left Alone’ (Shepp’s occasional reed squeaks seem deliberate, as if to imitate breaks in her voice). Waldron also recites Holiday’s lyrics set to his composition at the conclusion of the LP. Shepp switches to soprano sax for an emotional take of ‘Everything Happens to Me’ and ‘I Only Have Eyes for You,’ with the latter song sounding as if the unheard singer is being ignored by her love interest. Shepp’s ‘Blues for 52nd Street’ is both sassy and swinging. This instrumental salute to Billie Holiday is one of the best albums ever to honour her memory.

Tracklist:

1. Easy Living
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
3. Everything Happens to Me
4. Left Alone
5. When Your Lover Has Gone
6. I Only Have Eyes for You
7. Blues for 52nd Street
8. Porgy
9. Lady Sings the Blues
10. Left Alone (Spoken Lyrics)

UPC: 5060149623466
Label: Pure Pleasure
Release Date: 5.15.26
Format: Vinyl