As far as I am concerned, Billie Holiday was one of the most influential and iconic female vocalists who has ever lived. In today’s music there is no real distinction between artists, but during her time, the voices of every singer were distinct with their own tambour and quality. Billie Holiday is up there with the likes of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and made a name for herself that has proven to last for generations to come.
There is a youth community center in Prato known as Officina Giovani. On March 11, 2013, the week before Spring break, the center put on a Billie Holiday Tribute concert. I have to say I was a little hesitant when I walked into the old abandoned slaughterhouse for the show, with the meat hooks still hanging prominently above the audience seating. The show, however, was one of the most unique live performances I have ever experienced.
It was more than just a live tribute show; there was a spoken biography in the beginning, and theatrical performances in between. The biography was, of course, spoken all in Italian, so it was a bit hard to follow, but it was easy to get the idea. The music section was prefixed by an old recording of Holiday singing “The Man I Love.”
When Michaela Lombardi came out with the band, her singing took me by surprise. I was expecting to detect some sort of accent or something, but it was one of the best jazz vocals I have ever heard. Her range was incredible and she had amazing control over every aspect of her voice. I truly admired the piano solos as well. The drums seemed a bit out of character for most of the songs, and they were a little hard to adjust to.
In between the live set, the band took a break and three actresses came out onto the stage, playing the roles of Billie Holiday’s mother, a young Holiday, and Holiday after she came into fame. Even though this was all in Italian as well, it was easy to grasp the scene and it really hit home after hearing all of her songs being performed. Somehow they were able to transport the audience to the 1940s and make you feel like you actually knew Billie Holiday and were a part of her story.
After the show I set off without any permits or passes, like a true journalist should, to try and snag an interview with Lombardi. When I spotted her backstage I was hesitant to ask for a moment because I was not sure how much English she spoke, but I soon found out she spoke it more fluently than I did. I am meeting up with her next week for an exclusive “Meet the Artist” interview, which will be the topic of my next article, so be sure to keep your eyes open for that!
This was an amazing experience and I have to say that I never thought Italy would be able to offer me so much when it came to music. I have seen and met some of the most amazing musicians since I have been here and experienced shows I would never be able to back home in America. I think a tribute show like this would be amazing to do in the States because it truly captures an artist that has passed, or possibly become a bit forgotten. It helps current generations to appreciate the foundation on which their music today has been based upon.
