Teddy Wilson Orchestra & Billie Holiday | Moanin’ Low [31 March 1937]
To understand the ingenuity of this track, first listen to Annette Hanshaw’s version. Hanshaw has great phrasing, and the music chugs along effectively enough. But TW Orchestra puts an aching limp in the tune & if you’ve ever watched this then you can just see Billie rocking and nodding as she comes in with that lean in her voice “moanin low, my sweet man I love him so… ” and the trumpets growling underneath her like hungry angry love, it’s just right.
