Guidance regarding 2 female Jazz legends please..

I'll add another vote for "Songs For Distingue Lovers" and also the Commodore collection for Billie. I recently got "Lady In Satin" on cd (remastered by Columbia Legacy) and I'm not sure if I'd recommend that one yet--my speakers seem to be a bit too revealing of her by then ravaged voice, but I need to listen to it a bit more.

As far as Nina Simone, I have been listening to "Best Of the Colpix Years" alot lately. Sound quality varies wildly from track to track (this is a hodgepodge of singles and live recordingings from the early 60s), but there is a lot of good stuff on it. In particular, it contains a stunning rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" (sadly somewhat marred by iffy sound quality).

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

As a follow up, I did relsten to all my Billie Holiday cds, and I can defintely say that the Verve Master Edition of "Songs For Distingue Lovers" is the best sounding disc I have even if it is not the best example of her voice.

The Commodore recordings are a bit rough (from the 1930s), but they do include some great performances including her original rendition of "Strange Fruit". A better sounding disc of her early voice is Columbia/Legacy's "Greatest Hits", so that may be your best bet for early Billie.

Beware Verve's "Ultimate Billie Holiday". Some of the tracks are from vinyl and include surface noise. Also, I find Verve's "Billie's Best" (perhaps a misnomer as these are more recordings from the 50s) a bit bright sounding.

And upon further review, I really do not care for the way her voice is presented on the Columbia Legacy reissue of "Lady In Satin". It really seems to shine a harsh spotlight on her declining vocal chords--throws them right in your face. May be the vinyl is better.

As a longtime fan of Holiday, I am of the (dissenting) that her recordings on Verve are at least the equal of the earlier Columbias. In fact, I actually prefer the Verve recordings and have spent many a night reveling in the box set, which includes studio recordings, concerts, even rehearsals. Whatever her voice had "lost" as a consequence of her personal breakdown is more than compensated for by the added "texture" and depth of feeling--plus, the recording quality is generally very good. The Commodores and Deccas are also good, but neither of these periods is up to the brilliant Columbias or the profound Verves. If you can swing it, I recommend getting both box sets. The Columbias were remastered last year and sound much better than before. I listen to them and am impressed. But it has always been the Verves that really move me.

Good listening,