BILLIE HOLIDAY Lady In Satin COLUMBIA CS 8048 45 RPM 1-sided 4 Disc SEALED

$

108

BILLIE HOLIDAY Lady In Satin New & Sealed One Sided, 4 Disc Pressing - 45 RPM Series
Record label/brand: Classic Records/Columbia CS 8048 upc/mpn: None
This is a very collectable audiophile rarity issued by Classic Records. There are 4 heavy vinyl, one-sided records in this set. Mastered by audio legend, Bernie Grundman, this was Classic Records' attempt to achieve the ultimate in vinyl sound quality.
The records are packaged in one sleeve with the original album artwork and then three white generic covers. Classic Records pride themselves for releasing each album with the original artwork, LP labels and any other materials which were included with original pressings. Corners are sharp, spines are straight and there are no flaws, blemishes or imperfections of any kind. 100% MINT!
This title was mastered by Classic Records at Half Speed from the original source master tapes. An all-analog, tube amplification process was used at every step. Classic Records used a proprietary vinyl, in either 180 gram or 200 gram weight, that guaranteed virtually no surface noise and sonically superior dynamics. 
In short, this is as good as this album is ever going to sound on vinyl. Don't wait... this four record set is long out of print and growing harder to find - especially in this brand new, still sealed condition.
Review: I've gotta admit, the first time I heard this album, I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Here's a record that's pretty much universally hailed as one of the best jazz albums of all time, and my first impression was little more than depressing Muzak. Especially when you read the liners and see how Holiday thought this was the best album she ever recorded. Then I listened to it again. And again. Suddenly something clicked and I was being drawn in. Sure, her voice was shot by this point; but there's an aching, tormented quality in these songs that only Lady Day could bring to them.
Musically (for anyone who hasn't already heard the album), the material ranges from depressing songs of longing and rejection ("I'm a Fool to Want You"), to beautiful love songs ("For Heaven's Sake," "It's Easy to Remember") and all points in between. Is it jazz? Well, no, not really. It doesn't matter though. Sonically, it couldn't sound better. Ray Ellis' lush orchestral arrangements are definitely the 'satin' here, no doubt about it. The bass response is excellent, and Holiday's voice (or what's left of it) is a perfect match for the material she's singing.
Lady in Satin is one of the first three 180-gram vinyl releases from Classic Records commemorating the 50th anniversary of the LP. As per usual, it lives up to expectations and then some. The packaging is beautiful; from the cover to the famous '6-eye' Columbia label. There was no surface noise at all on this pressing. The only things missing are the bonus tracks found on the recent Sony CD. But on a record like this one, you just can't beat the warm sound of vinyl.