"Easy to Love" is a buoyant performance of Cole Porter's romantic standard from Billie Holiday's 1952 album Solitude. Taken at approximately 134 bpm in E-flat with a 32-bar AA' form, the track features brief solos from trumpeter Charlie Shavers and guitarist Barney Kessel that add instrumental sparkle to Holiday's vocal interpretation. Shavers contributes a half-chorus solo that balances his natural virtuosity with tasteful restraint, his bright, clear tone providing a perfect complement to Holiday's darker vocal timbre. Kessel follows with a half-chorus of warm, swinging guitar that reflects his deep roots in both jazz and popular music. The medium-tempo swing groove gives Holiday room to employ her trademark behind-the-beat phrasing, turning Porter's elegant lyric into a deeply personal statement. Recorded for Norman Granz's Clef label, the session brought together some of the finest musicians on the West Coast jazz scene, creating an all-star backing group that elevated every track. Holiday's interpretation of "Easy to Love" exemplifies her genius for finding emotional truth in popular song, her seemingly casual delivery concealing a sophisticated musical intelligence that few vocalists have ever matched.
