“My first clear musical memory is of Billie Holiday. Billie’s voice floated through our house – grand, warm, intimate, and wholly unique. I rediscovered Billie during a difficult period of my teenage years. As much as I loved Nirvana, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest, her music spoke to me on a much deeper level. Her work was mastery – of pain, of trauma, of faith in music and the power of transformation. I had found my teacher. Billie Holiday made me want to be a jazz singer and set me on the path that I’m walking today.” – José James