By dvdmike (12.84.109.238) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 08:20 pm:

STRANGE FRUIT
YESTERDAYS
FINE AND MELLOW
I GOTTA RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES
April 20, 1939 - World Broadcasting Studio, NYC
Produced by Milt Gabler

HOW AM I TO KNOW
MY OLD FLAME
I'LL GET BY
I COVER THE WATERFRONT
March 25, 1944 - WOR Studios, NYC
Produced by Milt Gabler

I'LL BE SEEING YOU
I'M YOURS
EMBRACEABLE YOU
AS TIME GOES BY
April 1, 1944 - WOR Studios, NYC
Produced by Milt Gabler
Arranged by Eddie Heywood

HE'S FUNNY THAT WAY
LOVER, COME BACK TO ME
BILLIE'S BLUES
April 8, 1944 - WOR Studios, NYC
Produced by Milt Gabler
Arranged by Eddie Heywood

By Jim G (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 09:22 pm:

Commodore was one of the first labels dedicated to jazz. It was an outgrowth of the Commodore Music Shop in NYC, owned by Milt Gabler's dad (whose name escapes me).
Columbia had Billie under contract at the time of the "Strange Fruit" session but John Hammond allowed her to record it for Gabler--it was too controversial for Columbia to wax.
Interestingly, many people think of Billie as a 'blues singer' but she recorded very few blues. "Billie's Blues" is one of them.
The band on most of the Commodore's is her working band from Cafe Society ("The right place for the wrong people", so their ads said).

By dvdmike (12.84.96.82) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 09:31 pm:

A bit of trivia - Commodore owner Milt Gabler's nephew is actor Billy Crystal.