There have been many volumes of photography published on famous jazz singer Billie Holiday. This book of photographs by the late Dantzic (1924-2006), curated by his son Grayson Dantzic, features rare images that document specific performances by -Holiday at the Sugar Hill Jazz Club in Newark, NJ. Dantzic's intimate portraits honor this period in Holiday's life, just two years before her untimely death at age 44. Dantzic works with a Leica camera and Kodak Tri-X black-and-white film. Often shooting indoors and with a slow shutter, he captures a good deal of motion blur that give the images a gritty look and feel. When Holiday is performing, Dantzic frequently shoots from a low vantage point to emphasize her larger-than-life stature. Dantzic also provides a rare view into the everyday life of this mythic performer, which includes playing with her chihuahua Pepi, walking in New York City, interacting with friends, relaxing in their West 93rd Street apartment. The most interesting features are the contact sheets from Dantzic's black-and-white negatives, along with a detailed narrative about each performance and shoot. Also included is "Crazy They Call Me," a stylistic introductory essay by novelist Zadie Smith. VERDICT Recommended for photography enthusiasts, fans of Holiday, and jazz history buffs.-Shauna Frischkorn, Millersville Univ., PA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

For several nights in April 1957, photographer Jerry Dantzic (1925-2006), on assignment for Decca Records, photographed Billie Holiday at Newark's Sugar Hill jazz club. This coffee table book features 100 of those photos and beautifully captures Holiday on a cigarette-hazed bandstand, wearing a bare-shouldered, sequined dress, performing songs such as "Fine and Mellow," "Don't Explain," and "Strange Fruit." Taken one year after the publication of her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues, and two years before her untimely death at age 44, the photos reveal a deeply personal and vibrant side of Holiday. There are images of Louis McKay, Holiday's husband, zipping up her dress in their hotel; the singer's loving play with her infant godson, Bevan; and her tender embrace of her pet Chihuahua, Pepi, backstage. Also included are color photos of Holiday performing at the second annual New York Jazz Festival that same year, images of Newark in late 1950s, and extensive technical photography notes by Jerry Dantzic's son, Grayson, who is a photo archivist. A moving essay by novelist Smith sums up Holiday's eternal beauty: "Whenever a lady shows up on stage she's always right on time." (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

On assignment from Decca Records, photographer Jerry Dantzic took his Leica M3 cameras to the Sugar Hill nightclub in Newark to take pictures of Billie Holiday when she was booked for an Easter Week engagement. In 1957, at 42, her health in decline, Holiday was past her prime, although only six months earlier she filled Carnegie Hall. This was a much more humble venue, but, as these photos attest, Holiday appears happy. The images capture her as she walks to the venue, signs autographs, and in the dressing room as she prepares to take the stage. Holiday is unguarded in these pictures and appears relaxed while holding her Chihuahua. We also see her at home with the Duftys in their Upper West Side apartment. (Holiday was godmother to their son, and William Dufty cowrote Lady Sings the Blues.) Dantzic's high-contrast, black-and-white images of the singer on stage are powerful and iconic and reveal an artist truly in her element. Zadie Smith opens this collection with a reflection inspired by the photographs, an evocative stream-of-consciousness prose poem that suggests the mindset of Lady Day.--Segedin, Ben Copyright 2017 Booklist