Exploring Music and Culture

Billie Holiday had the fantastic ability to put soul into her jazz music, showing the world her musical personality. Without a music education, Holiday was still able to use her “go with the flow” personality in order to climb higher up in the music industry. This big personality shines bright in this interview of her describing one of her first auditions. Around the two minutes and thirty seconds marker, Billie describes how in the audition her accompanist asked her what key her song was in, and Billie’s perfect response is this: “I dunno man, just play it!”. This is a prime example of the kind of performer Holiday was. Her personality flavored her music every time she sang. This was expressed through many ways, such as her manipulation of tempo and phrasing, her improvisation, and as Frances Rowe describes it, her ability to be vulnerable onstage. She was truly a one-of-a-kind performer.     Holiday’s innovative manipulation of tempo and phrasing used to express