Diana Ross

In 1972, Diana Ross portrayed Billie Holiday in the movie Lady Sings The Blues.

20 years later she was featured at a special concert at New York’s Ritz Theater, singing jazz with an all-star band.

After a five-minute introduction in which Diana Ross talks about her love for the music, she performs a set of jazz standards, many of which were associated with Billie Holiday.

She puts a lot of feeling and swing into her versions of “Fine And Mellow,” “ Them There Eyes,” “Don’t Explain,” “What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Mean To Me,” “Lover Man,” “Gimme A Pigfoot and a Bottle Of Beer,” “Little Girl Blue,” “There’s A Small Hotel,” “I Cried For You,” “The Man I Love,” “God Bless The Child,” “Our Love Is Here To Stay,” “You’ve Changed,” “Let’s Fall In Love,” “It’s Alright With Me,” “Strange Fruit,” “All Of Me,” “Good Morning Heartache,” “T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do,” “My Man,” “What A Wonderful World,” and a reprise of “Fine And Mellow.”

For this unique concert, which was probably never repeated, Diana Ross is joined by trumpeters Stanton Davis, Jon Faddis, Roy Hargrove and John Longo, trombonists Garnett Brown, Urbie Green and Slide Hampton, Justin Robinson and Frank Wess on altos, Ralph Moore and Jerome Richardson on tenors, baritonist Gary Smulyan, Barry Harris Bobby Tucker and Paul Odeh alternating on piano, guitarist Ted Dunbar, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate; arrangements were contributed by Gil Askey who shares the conducting duties with Jon Faddis.

Thanks are due to Ron Carter who generously made this unique film available to Jazz On The Tube.

-Scott Yanow

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