Molly Johnson - Because Of Billie (2014) Lossless

An easy-street, rather than ‘troubled’, Billie Holiday encountered here, in the Dee Dee Bridgewater mould, from Canadian singer Molly Johnson, backed by a small combo. Most of the songs you’d expect on a Holiday songbook album are included, Because of Billie bookended by ‘Body and Soul’, and ‘Don’t Explain’, yet more unexpectedly, given the possibilities, ‘Now or Never’ really suits the Juno-winning singer, in a lively version with its raucous “straighten up and fly right” atmosphere suggesting Kansas City and jump jive styles.