The time is to tributes. We can be upset as rejoice. Billie Holiday seems to know a renewed interest today? Well, not really. Lady Day has always been among us, and remains there or not tribute. But in 2015, two major albums come to light and allow us to rediscover in a new way the songs that made the success of the great Dame. Why? Because when she sang the blues, she not only sang, she lived. Thus, almost simultaneously with the homage of Cassandra Wilson (Coming Forth by Day), here Yesterday I Had the Blues singer José James. The cake appeared under the label Blue Note (April 2015) deserves a serious look. It reveals a singer in grace, surrounded by talented musicians: Jason Moran (piano), John Pattitucci (bass) and Eric Harland (drums). A homogeneous repertoire and a very personal interpretation. It includes Good Morning Headache, Body And Soul (a slowness to thrill), Fine and Mellow, I Thought About You, What A Little Moonlight Can Do, Tenderly, Lover Man, God Bless The Child, and finally Strange Fruit . A great record that we réécoutera with greedy pleasure. The success really lies in the trio that makes up this unique work. I do not shout at masterpiece (5 stars), but it still stands there a large disk (4 stars), of great beauty. Better, the outspokenness of José James, his sense of diction and tempo, give hear a great singer. Not easy to dig its hole in the vocal jazz, but James succeeded and gradually Yesterday I Had The Blues should be the album of the consecration (although the singer already has behind him five or six albums to his credit). Happy listening.
