Final Holiday

Here I am, waiting for a new mattress to be delivered while I listen to a Billie Holiday two-fer (on vinyl) called "God Bless the Child." This set covers a five year period between 1936-1941, arguably the peak of Ms. Holiday's art. Dig the small combos backing her, including Lester Young and Teddy Wilson. There's something to be said for the three minute jazz song where the soloists only get a couple of choruses (if that) to have their say. You ask me, this is the height of American civilization.

On CD, I'm about to tackle the numerous Steve Earle disks I have. I listened to "Guitar Town" the other day. Mostly, it still holds up and doesn't sound too dated. Maybe it is Steve's greatest work, certainly his best commercial release. God bless him for going his own way, but one sometimes wonders what his alternative career would have been like had he played the game a little more. As big as Travis Tritt? But then he wouldn't be Steve Earle.

When I saw Steve at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival last fall he sounded better vocally than he had in a long time. Maybe the weight loss? Maybe he quit smoking?