Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - The Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong On Verve

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
Time: 68:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:14) 1.Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
(4:00) 2.Love Is Here To Stay
(5:42) 3.The Nearness Of You
(3:35) 4.Stars Fell On Alabama
(4:13) 5.Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(4:40) 6.They Can't Take That Away From Me
(5:59) 7.Autumn In New York
(5:01) 8.Summertime
(5:09) 9.Tenderly
(5:14) 10.Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:18) 11.Under A Blanket Of Blue
(4:38) 12 I Wants To Stay Here
(3:11) 13.I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
(4:54) 14.There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
(3:09) 15.You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)

The Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong from Verve contains a selection of 15 duets the two jazz legends recorded for the label over the years.

Clearly, this set isn't of particular interest to hardcore collectors, since they'll already own much of the material, but as a sampler targeted at casual fans, this is quite nice indeed, since it contains such timeless classics as "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "Stars Fell on Alabama, " "Autumn in New York, " "Summertime," and "They Can't Take That Away from Me." By Stephen Thomas Erlewine
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-ella-fitzgerald-and-louis-armstrong-on-verve-mw0000025726#review

Personnel: Bass – Dale Jones, Ray Brown; Clarinet – Edmond Hall; Drums – Barrett Deems, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson; Guitar – Herb Ellis ; Piano – Billy Kyle, Oscar Peterson; Trombone – Trummy Young; Trumpet – Louis Armstrong; Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

The Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong On Verve

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Sings the Blues

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
Time: 95:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 220,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:07) 1. Smooth Sailing (Feat. Ray Charles Singers)
(2:41) 2. See, See Rider
(4:00) 3. How Long, How Long Blues
(3:42) 4. Blues In The Night
(4:40) 5. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (Feat. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra)
(3:07) 6. Basin Street Blues
(2:25) 7. Pete Kelly's Blues
(2:41) 8. In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)
(5:13) 9. Ella Hums The Blues
(5:41) 10. Wee Baby Blues (Live)
(3:15) 11. Good Morning Blues
(4:12) 12. Cherry Red
(5:12) 13. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(6:31) 14. St. Louis Blues (Live From Rome/1958)
(2:50) 15. Swingin' Shepherd Blues (Alternate Take)
(2:26) 16. Beale Street Blues
(2:32) 17. Later
(3:15) 18. Too Young For The Blues (Alternate Single Version)
(5:27) 19. Joe Williams Blues (Live In Berlin, 1961)
(2:33) 20. I'll Chase The Blues Away (Single Version / Matrix 39614) (Feat. Chick Webb And His Orchestra)
(3:01) 21. A New Shade Of Blues
(3:33) 22. Trouble In Mind
(4:02) 23. St. Louis Blues
(5:11) 24. Every Day I Have The Blues
(3:58) 25. Party Blues

Part of a Fantasy sampler series that features musicians (and in this case a notable vocalist) performing the blues, this CD features Ella Fitzgerald on 11 performances taken from a variety of sessions. Although she never specialized in the blues, Ella had no difficulty swinging over blues changes and sometimes putting strong emotion into the lowdown variety.

There is one song apiece from the 1950s and '60s, while the remainder of the program dates from 1971-1979. Ella's rendition of "C-Jam Blues" at the Santa Monica Civic in 1972 is a true classic, and other highlights include "Duke's Place" (with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1966), "I'm Walkin'," and the lengthy "Basella," with Count Basie's big band. But the material is easily available in more complete form elsewhere, making this reissue more of a sampler for casual fans. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/bluella-ella-fitzgerald-sings-the-blues mw0000615825#review

Ella Sings the Blues

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Ella Fitzgerald And Louis Armstrong - Porgy And Bess

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:14
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:52)  1. Overture
( 4:58)  2. Summertime
( 4:38)  3. I Want To Stay Here
( 4:02)  4. My Man Is Gone Now
( 3:52)  5. I Got Plenty Of Nothing
( 2:58)  6. Buzzard Song
( 5:28)  7. Bess You Is My Woman Now
( 6:34)  8. It Ain`t Necessarily So
( 1:59)  9. What You Want With Bess
( 4:47) 10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
( 2:01) 11. Oh Doctor Jesus
( 3:28) 12. Medley- Honey Man   Strawberry Woman
( 4:54) 13. There Is A Boat That Is Leaving
( 2:36) 14. Bess Oh Where
( 2:58) 15. Oh Lord Im On My Way

Producer Norman Granz oversaw two Porgy & Bess projects. The first involved Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, and came together during the autumn of 1957 with brassy big band and lush orchestral arrangements by Russ Garcia. This is the classic Verve Porgy & Bess, and it's been reissued many, many times. The second, recorded during the spring and summer of 1976 and issued by RCA, brought Ray Charles together with versatile British vocalist Cleo Laine, backed by an orchestra under the direction of Frank DeVol. A comparison of these two realizations bears fascinating fruit, particularly when the medleys of street vendors are played back to back. Those peasant songs, used in real life to purvey honey, strawberries, and crabs, were gathered and notated by George Gershwin and novelist Du Bose Heyward in 1934 during a visit to Folly Island, a small barrier island ten miles south of Charleston, SC, known today as Folly Beach. As Charleston Harbor had been one of the major ports during the importation of slaves from Africa, the waterfront was mostly populated by Gullahs, a reconstituted community that retained and preserved its ancestral cultures and languages to unusual degrees. Gershwin, who even learned to chant with the Gullah, absorbed the tonalities of the street cries he heard and wove them along with all of the other impressions stored within his sensitive mind into the fabric of his opera. What's really great about the Ella and Louis version is Ella, who handles each aria with disarming delicacy, clarion intensity, or usually a blend of both. Her take on "Buzzard Song" (sung 19 years later by Ray Charles) is a thrilling example of this woman's intrinsic theatrical genius. Pops sounds like he really savored each duet, and his trumpet work not a whole lot of it, because this is not a trumpeter's opera is characteristically good as gold. This marvelous album stands quite well on its own, but will sound best when matched with the Ray Charles/Cleo Laine version, especially the songs of the Crab Man, of Peter the Honey Man, and his wife, Lily the Strawberry Woman. ~ arwulf arwulf https://www.allmusic.com/album/porgy-bess-mw0000191821

Personnel: Louis Armstrong - vocais, trompete; Ella Fitzgerald - vocais;  Paul Smith - de piano; Alvin Stoller - bateria

Porgy And Bess

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella In Japan:'S Wonderful Disc1 And Disc 2

Album: Ella In Japan: 'S Wonderful  Disc 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:37
Size: 148,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 3:47)  1. Cheek To Cheek
( 3:59)  2. Deep Purple
( 2:20)  3. Too Close For Comfort
( 3:21)  4. I Love Being Here With You
( 3:00)  5. Fly Me To The Moon
( 2:34)  6. 'S Wonderful
( 2:59)  7. I've Got You Under My Skin
( 2:39)  8. Hallelujah I Love Him So
( 3:09)  9. Misty
( 2:48) 10. Whatever Lola Wants
( 3:43) 11. Bill Bailey
( 4:38) 12. The Blues (Ella's Blues)
( 3:20) 13. 'Round Midnight
( 4:39) 14. I Can't Get Started
( 6:43) 15. Undecided
(10:53) 16. Jam Session

Ella Fitzgerald had recorded live albums in venues ranging from Newport to Berlin to Hollywood when she and a quartet led by Roy Eldridge traveled to Japan in early 1964 for a series of concerts. Norman Granz, the former Verve head and current Fitzgerald manager who accompanied the musicians on their trip, recorded the concerts for release, but the tapes sat unissued in the Verve vaults a victim of the surplus of Ella material already recorded but not released for nearly 50 years, until the 2011 two-disc reissue Ella in Japan: 'S Wonderful. In the early '60s, Japan was thick with jazz fans, and crowds swarmed the Hibiya Kokaido Public Hall in Tokyo for the January 19 show that is included on the first disc. (The second disc includes a far more exclusive affair, recorded at a hotel a few days later.) Although another live album was recorded and released just a few short months after these shows (Ella at Juan-Les-Pins), the material has few overlaps. Ella is in fine form as usual, she turned up the candlepower in front of an audience  personalizing Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here with You" early in the program, and even singing in Japanese, to the delight of the crowd, during a stirring "'S Wonderful." The quartet, including Eldrige on trumpet plus pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Bill Yancey, and drummer Gus Johnson, are quite adept at sounding bigger than a four-piece, especially on Ella's saucy "Whatever Lola Wants." (Also, an instrumental mini-set of four tracks concludes the first disc.) Raiding the vaults can be a risky proposition, but here, as with the massive four-disc Twelve Nights in Hollywood compilation, fans of Fitzgerald specifically, or great jazz singing in general, will find a wealth of great material. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/ella-in-japan-s-wonderful-mw0002125314

Personnel:  Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals;  Roy Eldridge - trumpet;  Tommy Flanagan - piano;  Bill Yancy - bass;  Gus Johnson - drums

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Album: Ella In Japan: 'S Wonderful  Disc 2

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:27

Size: 84,0 MB

(3:32)  1. Cheek To Cheek

(3:29)  2. Shiny Stockings

(4:31)  3. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

(3:45)  4. Bill Bailey

(5:02)  5. Take The 'A' Train

(0:38)  6. Closing / A-Tisket, A-Tasket

(3:42)  7. Ain't Misbehavin

(3:56)  8. My Last Affair

(6:59)  9. Perdido

(0:49) 10. Closing / A-Tisket, A-Tasket

Ella In Japan: 'S Wonderful; Disc 1, Disc 2

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol.2 (1939-1941) Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol 2 (1939-1941) (Disc 1) Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:10
Size: 173,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. Stairway To The Stars
(2:56) 2. Out Of Nowhere
(3:05) 3. I Want The Waiter (With The Water)
(3:09) 4. That's All, Brother
(3:14) 5. My Last Goodbye
(2:51) 6. Heart Of Mine
(2:37) 7. Billy (I Always Dream Of Billy)
(3:16) 8. Please Tell Me The Truth
(3:05) 9. You're Gonna Lose Your Gal
(3:02) 10. My Wubba Dolly
(2:52) 11. After I Say I'm Sorry
(3:03) 12. Baby, What Else Can I Do
(2:51) 13. Betcha Nickel
(2:57) 14. Moon Ray
(2:32) 15. Is There Somebody Else
(3:08) 16. The Starlit Hour
(3:08) 17. I'm Not Complainin'
(2:57) 18. What's The Matter With Me
(2:44) 19. Sugar Blues
(2:55) 20. Imagination
(2:56) 21. If It Weren't For You
(3:00) 22. Sing Song Swing
(2:31) 23. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
(2:43) 24. Shake Down The Stars
(3:11) 25. I Fell In Love With A Dream

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol 2 (1939-1941) (Disc 2)
Time: 72:49
Size: 170,3 MB

(2:35) 1. Deedle-De-Dum
(2:54) 2. Gulf Coast Blues
(3:07) 3. Five O'clock Whistle
(3:07) 4. So Long
(3:09) 5. Louisville, K-Y
(3:03) 6. Taking A Chance On Love
(2:43) 7. Cabin In The Sky
(2:29) 8. Three Little Words
(3:02) 9. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
(2:30) 10. Hello Ma! I Done It Again
(2:59) 11. Wishful Thinking
(2:41) 12. I'm The Lonesomest Girl In Town
(2:23) 13. The Muffin Man
(2:58) 14. Keep Cool, Fool
(3:07) 15. No Nothing
(2:58) 16. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(2:41) 17. Melinda The Mousie
(3:02) 18. Jim
(2:53) 19. This Love Of Mine
(3:03) 20. I'm Thrilled
(2:45) 21. Make Love To Me
(3:22) 22. You Don't Know What Love is
(3:10) 23. Somebody Nobody Loves
(3:01) 24. My Man
(2:57) 25. Who Are You

Dubbed "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra.

She worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. (Or rather, some might say all the jazz greats had the pleasure of working with Ella.) She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. In fact, many of them had just one binding factor in common they all loved her.

The Complete Decca Singles Vol 2 (1939-1941)(Disc 1) (Disc 2)

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 of 4 (1942-1949) 3-Disc Set

On June 16, 1939, it was decided that Fitzgerald would front the Chick Webb orchestra even though she had little to do with the repertoire or hiring or firing the musicians. She retained her popularity and when she broke up the band in 1941 and went solo; it was not long before her Decca recordings contained more than their share of hits. She was teamed with the Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, and the Delta Rhythm Boys for some best-sellers, and in 1946 began working regularly for Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic. Granz became her manager although it would be nearly a decade before he could get her on his label. A major change occurred in Fitzgerald's singing around this period. She toured with Dizzy Gillespie's big band, adopted bop as part of her style, and started including exciting scat-filled romps in her set. Her recordings of "Lady Be Good," "How High the Moon," and "Flying Home" during 1945-1947 became popular and her stature as a major jazz singer rose as a result. For a time (December 10, 1947-August 28, 1953) she was married to bassist Ray Brown and used his trio as a backup group. Fitzgerald's series of duets with pianist Ellis Larkins in 1950 (a 1954 encore with Larkins was a successful follow-up) found her interpreting George Gershwin songs, predating her upcoming Songbooks series.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:20

Size: 165.6 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I'm Gettin' Mighty Lonesome For You

[2:52] 2. When I Come Back Crying (Will You Be Laughing At Me)

[2:57] 3. All I Need Is You

[2:44] 4. Mama Come Home

[2:32] 5. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

[2:45] 6. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

[3:16] 7. He's My Guy (Nobody Knows Better Than I)

[2:52] 8. (I Put) A Four Leaf Clover In Your Pocket

[3:02] 9. My Heart And I Decided

[3:06] 10. I Must Have That Man

[2:56] 11. Cow Cow Boogie

[2:46] 12. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

[2:55] 13. Once Too Often

[3:05] 14. Time Alone Will Tell

[3:13] 15. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine

[3:22] 16. I'm Confessin' That I Love You

[3:05] 17. A Kiss Goodnight

[3:27] 18. Benny's Coming Home On Saturday

[2:53] 19. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

[3:16] 20. I Didn't Mean A Word I Said

[2:52] 21. You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)

[3:11] 22. The Frim Fram Sauce

[3:10] 23. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

[3:11] 24. I'm Making Believe

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 2

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:07

Size: 172.0 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[3:15] 2. That's The Way It Is

[2:39] 3. It's Only A Paper Moon

[2:44] 4. Cry You Out Of My Heart

[2:37] 5. Stone Cold Dead In The Market 2

[2:35] 6. Petootie Pie

[3:11] 7. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons

[2:37] 8. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight

[3:10] 9. Guilty

[3:18] 10. Sentimental Journey

[2:59] 11. That's My Desire

[3:12] 12. A Sunday Kind Of Love

[3:13] 13. Oh Lady Be Good

[2:29] 14. Flying Home

[2:25] 15. You're Breakin' In A New Heart

[3:06] 16. Don't You Think I Ought To Know

[2:32] 17. I've Got A Feelin' I'm Fallin'

[2:39] 18. My Baby Likes To Bebop (And I Like To Bebop Too)

[3:13] 19. How High The Moon (1st Take)

[2:55] 20. You Turned The Tables On Me

[3:15] 21. My Happiness

[2:40] 22. Tea Leaves

[2:36] 23. It's Too Soon To Know

[2:48] 24. I Can't Go On (Without You)

[3:05] 25. To Make A Mistake Is Human

[2:59] 26. In My Dreams

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 3

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:14

Size: 160.8 MB

Styles:

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[3:00] 1. No Sense

[2:32] 2. Robbin's Nest

[3:15] 3. I Couldn't Stay Away From You

[3:02] 4. Someone Like You

[2:21] 5. I Want To Learn About Love

[2:39] 6. Old Mother Hubbard

[2:25] 7. Happy Talk

[2:52] 8. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair

[2:39] 9. Baby It's Cold Outside

[2:55] 10. Don't Cry, Cry Baby

[3:03] 11. Black Coffee

[3:07] 12. Lover's Gold

[3:07] 13. Crying

[2:58] 14. A New Shade Of Blues

[2:56] 15. Foolish Tears

[3:10] 16. A Man Wrote A Song

[2:36] 17. In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)

[2:52] 18. Talk Fast, My Heart, Talk Fast

[2:50] 19. Fairy Tales

[3:19] 20. I Gotta Have My Baby Back

[3:07] 21. Basin Street Blues

[3:18] 22. I'm Waitin' For The Junkman

[3:00] 23. I Hadn't Anyone Till You

[2:58] 24. Dream A Little Longer

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1935-1939) 4-Disc Set

"The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday). Blessed with a beautiful voice and a wide range, Fitzgerald could outswing anyone, was a brilliant scat singer, and had near-perfect elocution; one could always understand the words she sang. The one fault was that, since she always sounded so happy to be singing, Fitzgerald did not always dig below the surface of the lyrics she interpreted and she even made a downbeat song such as "Love for Sale" sound joyous. However, when one evaluates her career on a whole, there is simply no one else in her class.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:18
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:14] 1. Love And Kisses
[3:01] 2. Rhythm And Romance
[2:30] 3. I'll Chase The Blues Away
[3:02] 4. Crying My Heart Out For You
[2:33] 5. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)
[2:56] 6. Under The Spell Of The Blues
[3:00] 7. A Little Bit Later On
[2:22] 8. Devoting My Time To You
[2:54] 9. If You Can't Sing It You'll Have To Swing It
[2:24] 10. Vote For Mister Rhythm
[2:41] 11. My Last Affair
[3:00] 12. Darktown Strutters Ball
[2:47] 13. Shine
[2:47] 14. Organ Grinder's Swing
[3:02] 15. The Reservation
[2:55] 16. I Got The Spring Fever Blues
[3:06] 17. Love, You're Just A Laugh
[2:50] 18. There's Frost On The Moon
[2:23] 19. When I Get Low I Get High
[2:40] 20. Oh, Yes, Take Another Guess

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:45
Size: 155.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:12] 1. Dedicated To You
[2:50] 2. Big Boy Blue
[2:38] 3. Wake Up And Live
[3:16] 4. You Showed Me The Way
[2:35] 5. Cryin' Mood
[3:02] 6. If You Ever Should Leave
[3:01] 7. Everyone's Wrong But Me
[2:38] 8. All Over Nothing At All
[3:15] 9. Deep In The Heart Of The South
[2:49] 10. Love Is The Thing So They Say
[2:58] 11. Just A Simple Melody
[3:09] 12. Holiday In Harlem
[3:06] 13. Rock It For Me
[3:07] 14. The Dipsy Doodle
[3:00] 15. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[2:53] 16. It's My Turn Now
[2:56] 17. It's Wonderful
[2:51] 18. I Was Doing All Right
[3:18] 19. I Got A Guy
[4:28] 20. I Want To Be Happy
[4:02] 21. Hallelujah!
[2:32] 22. If Dreams Come True

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:57

Size: 132.7 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

[3:07] 1. This Time It's Real

[2:59] 2. You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's, Too)

[2:49] 3. (I’ve Been) Saving Myself For You

[3:00] 4. We Can't Go On This Way

[2:52] 5. Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil

[2:44] 6. Everybody Step

[2:36] 7. A-Tisket, A-Tasket

[3:13] 8. I'm Just A Jitterbug

[2:58] 9. (Oh! Oh!) What Do You Know About Love

[2:43] 10. If You Only Knew

[2:59] 11. I Let A Tear Fall In The River

[3:04] 12. Mcpherson Is Rehearsin' (To Swing)

[2:34] 13. I Found My Yellow Basket

[2:49] 14. Ella

[3:00] 15. Wacky Dust

[2:44] 16. Strictly From Dixie

[2:51] 17. Woe Is Me

[2:53] 18. Gotta Pebble In My Shoe

[2:53] 19. F.D.R. Jones

[3:01] 20. I Love Every Move You Make

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 4)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:15

Size: 140.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. It's Foxy

[2:59] 2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

[3:05] 3. I Can't Stop Loving You

[2:59] 4. 'tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It)

[3:17] 5. Undecided

[2:58] 6. Chew Chew Chew (Your Bubble Gum)

[2:46] 7. It's Slumbertime Along The Swanee

[3:05] 8. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[3:01] 9. Once Is Enough For Me

[3:06] 10. I'm Up A Tree

[3:07] 11. Have Mercy

[3:05] 12. If You Ever Change Your Mind

[3:06] 13. If Anything Happened To You

[3:16] 14. One Side Of Me

[2:53] 15. Little White Lies

[3:06] 16. If That's What You're Thinking, You're Wrong

[3:11] 17. I Had To Live And Learn

[3:00] 18. That Was My Heart

[3:11] 19. Sugar Pie

[2:59] 20. Coochi-Coochi-Coo

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3) (Disc 4)                              

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 of 4 (1950-1955) 4-Disc Set

In 1934 Ella's name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo and she won the opportunity to compete in Amateur Night. Ella went to the theater that night planning to dance, but when the frenzied Edwards Sisters closed the main show, Ella changed her mind. "They were the dancingest sisters around," Ella said, and she felt her act would not compare. Once on stage, faced with boos and murmurs of "What's she going to do?" from the rowdy crowd, a scared and disheveled Ella made the last minute decision to sing. She asked the band to play Hoagy Carmichael's "Judy," a song she knew well because Connee Boswell's rendition of it was among Tempie's favorites. Ella quickly quieted the audience, and by the song's end they were demanding an encore. She obliged and sang the flip side of the Boswell Sister's record, "The Object of My Affections."

Off stage, and away from people she knew well, Ella was shy and reserved. She was self-conscious about her appearance, and for a while even doubted the extent of her abilities. On stage, however, Ella was surprised to find she had no fear. She felt at home in the spotlight. "Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience," Ella said. "I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life." In the band that night was saxophonist and arranger Benny Carter. Impressed with her natural talent, he began introducing Ella to people who could help launch her career. In the process he and Ella became lifelong friends, often working together.

Fueled by enthusiastic supporters, Ella began entering - and winning - every talent show she could find. In January 1935 she won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. It was there that Ella first met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb. Although her voice impressed him, Chick had already hired male singer Charlie Linton for the band. He offered Ella the opportunity to test with his band when they played a dance at Yale University. "If the kids like her," Chick said, "she stays." Despite the tough crowd, Ella was a major success, and Chick hired her to travel with the band for $12.50 a week.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:21
Size: 167.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[2:55] 1. Baby, Won't You Say You Love Me
[3:21] 2. Don'cha Go 'way Mad
[3:00] 3. Solid As A Rock
[3:00] 4. Sugarfoot Rag
[2:20] 5. M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
[2:10] 6. I Don't Want The World (With A Fence Around It)
[3:15] 7. I've Got The World On A String
[3:19] 8. Peas And Rice
[3:11] 9. Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own
[3:08] 10. I'll Never Be Free
[3:04] 11. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[3:09] 12. Can Anyone Explain
[3:06] 13. Santa Claus Got Stuck (In My Chimney)
[2:41] 14. Molasses, Molasses (It's Icky Sticky Goo)
[3:13] 15. My One And Only
[3:12] 16. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:05] 17. Looking For A Boy
[3:11] 18. But Not For Me
[3:12] 19. I've Got A Crush On You
[3:12] 20. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:43] 21. Soon
[3:23] 22. Maybe
[3:05] 23. Little Small Town Girl (With The Big Town Dreams)
[3:15] 24. I Still Feel The Same About You

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:10
Size: 172.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[2:59] 1. Lonesome Gal
[3:05] 2. The Bean Bag Song
[3:20] 3. Two Little Men In A Flying Saucer
[3:13] 4. The Hot Canary
[2:38] 5. The Chesapeake And Ohio
[3:08] 6. Because Of Rain
[3:28] 7. Even As You And I
[3:09] 8. Do You Really Love Me
[3:16] 9. Mixed Emotions
[1:56] 10. Come On-A My House
[2:58] 11. Love You Madly
[3:03] 12. Smooth Sailing
[2:46] 13. There Never Was A Baby Like My Baby
[3:18] 14. Give A Little, Get A Little
[3:16] 15. Baby Doll
[3:17] 16. Lady Bug
[2:30] 17. Necessary Evil
[3:08] 18. Oops!
[3:11] 19. I Don't Want To Take A Chance
[3:12] 20. Rough Ridin'
[3:07] 21. Lazy Day
[2:40] 22. What Does It Take
[2:24] 23. That Old Feeling
[2:50] 24. A Guy Is A Guy
[3:07] 25. Gee, But I'm Glad To Know You Love Me

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 3
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Air Mail Special
[2:21] 2. Goody, Goody
[3:09] 3. Ding-Dong Boogie
[3:01] 4. Preview
[3:00] 5. Trying
[2:13] 6. My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean
[2:46] 7. My Favorite Song
[2:26] 8. Walkin' By The River
[3:19] 9. Would You Like To Take A Walk
[2:16] 10. Who Walks In When I Walk Out
[2:53] 11. I Can't Lie To Myself
[3:00] 12. Don't Wake Me Up
[2:50] 13. Careless
[2:44] 14. Blue Lou
[3:05] 15. Nowhere Guy
[2:52] 16. Angel Eyes
[2:43] 17. When The Hands Of The Clock Pray At Midnight
[3:05] 18. Crying In The Chapel
[5:11] 19. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini) Pt. 1 & 2
[2:11] 20. The Greatest There Is
[2:54] 21. I Wonder What Kind Of A Guy You'd Be
[2:26] 22. Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell (Who's Got The Ding Dong )
[2:49] 23. Melancholy Me

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 4

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:39

Size: 141.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Baby

[2:37] 2. I Need

[2:46] 3. Who's Afraid (Not I, Not I, Not I)

[3:08] 4. I Wished On The Moon

[2:49] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland

[2:33] 6. Later

[3:03] 7. An Empty Ballroom

[2:43] 8. If You Don't, I Know Who Will

[2:38] 9. Moanin' Low

[3:04] 10. Taking A Chance On Love

[1:57] 11. Lover, Come Back To Me

[2:55] 12. Old Devil Moon

[2:24] 13. Pete Kelly's Blues

[2:58] 14. Hard Hearted Hannah

[3:00] 15. Soldier Boy

[2:31] 16. A Satisfied Mind

[2:46] 17. The Impatient Years

[2:56] 18. But Not Like Mine

[2:58] 19. The Tender Trap

[3:20] 20. My One And Only Love

[3:11] 21. Early Autumn

[2:32] 22. Ella's Contribution To The Blues

Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 1, Disc 2  

Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 3, Disc 4

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Last Decca Years 1949-1954

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 62:43
Size: 63,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:41) 1. In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)
(3:10) 2. Basin Street Blues
(3:01) 3. Solid As A Rock
(3:19) 4. I've Got The World On A String
(3:08) 5. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(3:14) 6. Can Anyone Explain?
(3:12) 7. Because Of Rain
(3:17) 8. I Don't Want To Take A Chance
(2:51) 9. There Never Was A Baby Like My Baby
(3:22) 10. Give A Little, Get A Little
(2:54) 11. A Guy Is A Guy
(2:26) 12. Goody, Goody
(5:13) 13. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini) (Pt. 1 & 2)
(3:16) 14. Early Autumn
(2:57) 15. Angel Eyes
(3:05) 16. Prevue
(2:53) 17. Careless
(2:50) 18. Blue Lou
(2:55) 19. Melancholy Me
(2:50) 20. Lullaby Of Birdland

Ella Fitzgerald's tenure at Decca Records has been criticized, especially in comparison to her subsequent stay at Verve, for the mediocrity of the material she recorded and her late-blooming maturity as a singer. By selecting 20 tracks from among the sessions she did late in her Decca period with arranger/conductor Sy Oliver, this album makes the best of that era, though the results still do not rank with Fitzgerald's later triumphs.

The punchy Oliver style, heard in everything from the works of Jimmie Lunceford to those of Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra, has a Dixieland flavor, especially in its blaring horns, that Fitzgerald seems to find stimulating. But the quality of the material is still the key: when singer and arranger have something like "Basin Street Blues" to work with, they do fine (Fitzgerald even breaks into her first recorded Louis Armstrong imitation), and there are enough such examples "I've Got the World on a String," "Angel Eyes," "Blue Lou," and Fitzgerald's scat showcase "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" to raise the album to worthwhile status, especially when you throw in a duet session with Armstrong himself on "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "Can Anyone Explain?."

But there are also many second-rate songs that Fitzgerald dutifully sings as though they were something better, and that keeps this album from countering the usual impression of the Decca years.By William Ruhlmann.https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-last-decca-years-1949-1954-mw0000602836

The Last Decca Years 1949-1954

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Ella Fitzgerald - The War Years (1941-1947) [2-Disc Set]

Covering an important six-year period in Ella Fitzgerald's career, this two-CD set contains some of the highlights of the period as she develops from a top big-band singer into a masterful jazz improviser. Although one wishes that this survey were "complete," the 43 selections do feature Fitzgerald in a wide variety of settings, including with small groups, collaborating with The Ink Spots, the Delta Rhythm Boys Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong and fronting various studio groups. Most of her hits from the period are here along with previously unissued alternate takes of "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Flying Home" and two of "How High the Moon," making this a strong introduction to her early years.

Album: The War Years (1941-1947) [Disc 1]
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 146.1 MB
Label: GRP
Styles: Vocal Jazz, Swing, Easy Listening
Year: 1994

[2:58] 1. Jim
[2:51] 2. This Love Of Mine
[3:11] 3. Somebody Nobody Loves
[3:24] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[2:50] 5. Make Love To Me
[2:42] 6. Mama, Come Home
[3:00] 7. My Heart And I Decided
[3:19] 8. He's My Guy
[2:51] 9. Cow Cow Boogie
[3:04] 10. Time Alone Will Tell
[2:54] 11. Once Too Often
[3:06] 12. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
[3:09] 13. I'm Making Believe
[3:12] 14. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine
[3:21] 15. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[2:41] 16. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:14] 17. That's The Way It Is
[2:39] 18. It's Only A Paper Moon
[2:44] 19. Cry You Out Of My Heart
[3:04] 20. A Kiss Goodnight
[3:22] 21. Benny's Coming Home On Saturday

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Album: The War Years (1941-1947) [Disc 2]
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 63:46
Size: 146.0 MB
Label: GRP
Styles: Vocal jazz, Easy Listening, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. Flying Home
[2:37] 2. Stone Cold Dead In The Market (He Had It Coming)
[2:34] 3. Petootie Pie
[2:51] 4. You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)
[3:10] 5. The Frim Fram Sauce
[2:52] 6. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:15] 7. I Didn't Mean A Word I Said
[3:07] 8. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
[2:36] 9. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
[3:09] 10. Guilty
[3:14] 11. Sentimental Journey
[3:12] 12. A Sunday Kind Of Love
[2:58] 13. That's My Desire
[3:13] 14. Oh, Lady Be Good
[3:05] 15. Don't You Think I Ought To Know
[2:25] 16. You're Breakin' In A New Heart
[2:22] 17. I Want To Learn About Love
[2:25] 18. That Old Feeling
[2:38] 19. My Baby Likes To Be-Bop
[2:55] 20. No Sense
[3:18] 21. How High The Moon
[3:12] 22. How High The Moon 2

The War Years (1941-1947)(Disc 1) (Disc 2)

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:21
Size: 144,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:40) 1. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
(3:16) 2. Oh, Lady, Be Good!
(5:10) 3. (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr.Paganini: Part 1 & 2
(3:46) 4. Blue Skies
(4:37) 5. Out Of This World
(3:55) 6. Love Is Here To Stay
(2:22) 7. Just You, Just Me
(4:10) 8. A Night In Tunisia
(3:05) 9. You Leave Me Breathless
(2:34) 10. It's All Right With Me
(3:23) 11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:04) 12. I Said No
(2:09) 13. Pick Yourself Up
(5:22) 14. Sophisticated Lady
(7:00) 15. How High The Moon
(4:42) 16. Mack The Knife

Ella Fitzgerald's entry in the Verve Diva Series is a 16-track compilation that selects tracks from the first three decades of her recording career. Beginning with 1938's smash hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," the disc covers her hot and swinging big-band days in the late '30s and early '40s through her triumphant songbook records of the 1950s.

The tracks compiled here include some of the songs that she made her own, like "Oh, Lady Be Good," "(You'll Have to Swing It) Mr. Paganini, Pts. 1-2," "How High the Moon," and the song she shares with Bobby Darin, "Mack the Knife," as well as lots of other great songs. There is a cornucopia of Ella collections to choose from; this one is not essential, but does serve as a nice introduction to Ella's early years and peak '50s years, too. By Tim Sendra
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-diva-mw0000026522

The Diva Series

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Ella Fitzgerald - Sweet And Lovely

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:44
Size: 158,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:13) 1. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
(4:00) 2. These Boots Are Made For Walking
(4:25) 3. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:32) 4. Summertime
(5:19) 5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(8:18) 6. Jazz Samba
(4:33) 7. Mack The Knife
(4:35) 8. The Midnight Sun Never Sets
(3:17) 9. Goin' Out Of My Head
(4:06) 10. Sweet And Lovely
(3:59) 11. Misty
(2:53) 12. 'S Wonderful
(6:50) 13. St. Louis Blues
(8:36) 14. How High The Moon

Recognized worldwide as “The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald is arguably the finest female jazz vocalist of all time. Blessed with a highly resonant voice, wide range, and near-perfect elocution, Fitzgerald also possessed a deft sense of swing, and with her brilliant scat technique, could hold her own against any of her instrumental contemporaries.

She came to initial popularity as a member of drummer Chick Webb’s band in the 1930s, scoring a hit with a “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” before ascending to wide acclaim in the 1940s with Jazz at the Philharmonic and Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band, and issuing landmark performances like “Flying Home” and “How High the Moon.” Working with producer/manager Norman Granz, she gained even more acclaim with her series of albums on Verve, recording definitive versions of the music of the Great American Songbook composers, including 1956’s Sings the Cole Porter Songbook.

Over her 50-year career, she earned 13 Grammy Awards, sold over 40 million albums, and picked up numerous accolades including a National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A hugely important cultural figure, Fitzgerald made an immeasurable impact on the development of jazz and popular music, and remains a touchstone for fans and artists decades after her passing.
https://jazzbluesnews.com/2022/12/09/cd-review-ella-fitzgerald-sweet-and-lovely-2022-video-cd-cover/

Sweet And Lovely

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Roy Eldridge Quintet & Ella Fitzgerald Quintet - In Concert

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:01
Size: 119,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:36) 1. Soft Winds
(5:19) 2. Roy's Riff
(3:57) 3. Cheek To Cheek
(3:19) 4. You Brought Me A New Kind Of Love
(3:32) 5. All I Need Is You
(2:51) 6. Too Close For Comfort
(2:55) 7. Whatever Lola Wants
(5:18) 8. Allright, Okay, You Win
(3:54) 9. Lady Be Good
(4:44) 10. I Loves You, Porgy
(6:30) 11. How High The Moon

Roy Eldridge’s name on this disc is a bit of a red herring. The trumpeter plays the first two songs, accompanied by the same band that will back Ella Fitzgerald on the remainder of the program. Make no mistake: This recording belongs to the First Lady of Song, who’s in top form for this May 1959 Copenhagen performance.

Granted, it’s hard to find a Fitzgerald title from this period where she wasn’t in top form, so perhaps In Concert is just par for the course. But what a par. Her flawless flower of a voice coats each song like a soothing balm; only on close listening do we hear details like her masterful rubato on “You Brought Me a New Kind of Love” or the delicately sung syllables of “Lady Be Good” (here even slower than on her then-recent Gershwin Songbook album). But there are also delights right on the surface: “All Right, Okay, You Win” is loaded with Fitzgerald’s famous ad libs in both scat and lyric. (“He got eyes like diamonds, teeth shine like yellow gold FORT KNOX!”)

The album’s jewel is an on-point reading of “Whatever Lola Wants.” Fitzgerald melds with precision to Gus Johnson’s drums, then guitarist Herb Ellis melds with precision to Fitzgerald; they hold the line through more of Ella’s rubato, flourishes and growls, moving on a dime into high gear when the song becomes a medley with “Who’s Got the Pain?”

Does that make the Eldridge tunes throwaways? Hardly. Both “Soft Winds” and the rhythm-changes “Roy’s Riff” are brilliant showcases for his serrated-edge trumpet sound and timeless swing, the former doubling as a feature for Ellis’ surprisingly caustic guitar. He and Eldridge are a magical combination. Good as they are, though, they’re appetizers. Ella is the main course.By Michael J.West
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/roy-eldridge-quartet-ella-fitzgerald-quintet-in-concert-steeplechase/

Personnel: Roy Eldridge - (trumpet on tracks 1 & 2); Ella Fitzgerald - (vocal on tracks 3 -11); Herb Ellis - (guitar on tracks); Lou Levy - (piano); Wilfred Middlebrooks - (bass); Gus Johnson - (drums)

In Concert

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas (Expanded Edition)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:30

Size: 117.9 MB

Styles: Holiday, Jazz vocals

Year: 1960/2002

Art: Front

[2:22] 1. Jingle Bells

[2:17] 2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

[2:55] 3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

[3:31] 4. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

[2:55] 5. Sleigh Ride

[2:59] 6. The Christmas Song

[3:15] 7. Good Morning Blues

[2:41] 8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

[2:14] 9. Winter Wonderland

[2:51] 10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

[2:11] 11. Frosty The Snowman

[3:00] 12. White Christmas

[2:45] 13. The Secret Of Christmas

[3:34] 14. Medley We Three Kings Of Orient Are O Little Town

[2:17] 15. Christmas Island

[3:40] 16. The Christmas Song

[3:44] 17. White Christmas

[2:11] 18. Frosty The Snowman

The first lady of jazz can make anything swing, and Christmas tunes are no exception. On this 1960 album, Ella's endlessly agile voice wraps itself around a batch of holiday standards, with a Frank De Vol-led big band providing brassy punctuation. When tackling chestnuts like "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," she doesn't try to reinvent the melody, as some less-experienced jazz singer might; instead, she stamps her personality on every tune with subtle turns of phrasing and a masterful knack for toying with the time.

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas       

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Oscar Peterson And Ella Fitzgerald - Jazz at the Philharmonic - Festhalle A, Hamburg

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:44
Size: 173,6 MB
Art: Front

(1:43) 1. Intro - Norman Granz
(8:01) 2. How High The Moon
(5:56) 3. Joy Spring
(7:04) 4. Gypsy In My Soul
(0:18) 5. Talk - Norman Granz
(4:27) 6. Pete Pet Pick
(4:22) 7. Undecided
(6:46) 8. Reunion Blues
(0:08) 9. Intro - Norman Granz
(2:35) 10. You Got Me Singing The Blues
(3:29) 11. Angel Eyes
(2:26) 12. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:17) 13. Love For Sale
(2:51) 14. Tenderly
(3:56) 15. April In Paris
(3:34) 16. Dancing On The Ceiling
(3:44) 17. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:00) 18. Airmail Special

Canadian jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was called the “Maharaja of the keyboard” by Duke Ellington, but simply “OP” by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, and received numerous other awards and honours. He is considered one of the greatest jazz pianists, and played thousands of concerts worldwide in a career lasting more than 60 years. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 82.

Ella Fitzgerald was sometimes referred to as the “First Lady of Song”, “Queen of Jazz”, and “Lady Ella”. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a “horn-like” improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. She passed away in 1996 at the age of 79.http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=5655

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald - vocals; Oscar Peterson - piano; Don Abney - piano; Herb Ellis - guitar; Ray Brown - bass; Jo Jones - drums

Jazz at the Philharmonic - Festhalle A, Hambrug

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2022
Time: 42:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 99,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:14) 1. The Song Is Ended (Live)
(3:26) 2. You’re Laughing At Me (Live)
(3:06) 3. How Deep Is The Ocean (Live)
(2:00) 4. Heat Wave (Live)
(3:12) 5. Suppertime (Live)
(3:26) 6. Cheek To Cheek (Live)
(1:51) 7. Russian Lullaby (Live)
(2:46) 8. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (Live)
(3:06) 9. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Live)
(4:00) 10. Get Thee Behind Me Satan (Live)
(2:50) 11. Let’s Face The Music And Dance (Live)
(3:15) 12. Always (Live)
(2:01) 13. Puttin’ On The Ritz (Live)
(2:21) 14. Let Yourself Go (Live)
(3:02) 15. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Live)

For most of her career, the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald was managed by the incomparable impresario Norman Granz, founder of 'Jazz At the Philharmonic' and the prolific Norgran and Clef jazz record labels. Granz always felt that Decca, Ms F's label in the early 50s, was failing her talent and, after years of frustration, wrested her away from her Decca contract and promptly launched Verve, a new independent label, with Ms F at the centre.

By the time, Ella Fitzgerald was a mature artist at the height of her abilities, far from her 'Tisket A'Tasket' beginnings. But Granz had plans and envisaged a more sophisticated future. Together, under his inspired guidance, they embarked on possibly the most ambitious projects ever launched by an independent jazz label: an extensive collection of albums dedicated to the most notable composers of American popular song. First, Cole Porter, then Rodgers and Hart, then Duke Ellington. By project number four, they arrived at Irving Berlin.

George Gershwin, himself no slouch at creating indelible melodies, described Berlin as "the greatest songwriter who ever lived". Jerome Kern, who'd been known to compose some good tunes, declared "Irving Berlin is American music". During Berlin's extensive (he reached 101) and distinguished career, he wrote an improbable number of classic ditties: the Easter anthem, 'Easter Parade'; the unofficial national anthem: 'God Bless America'; the quintessential showbiz anthem: 'There's No Business like Show Business'; and, never forget, the ultimate Yuletide anthem: 'White Christmas'.

Clearly, Berlin would be fondly remembered had he only composed the tunes. But he also wrote all his own lyrics as well. Often they contained elaborate rhyme schemes which, considering he was born in Russia, are jewels of language, attaining astonishing levels of wit, compressed imagery and drama ('Let's Face The Music And Dance', 'How Deep Is The Ocean?' and 'Supper Time').

While the arrangements and backing on the first two Songbooks were underwhelming (although No.3, the Ellington edition featuring the Duke's orchestra was of a different order), Ms Fitzgerald's artistry triumphed over any adversity and the entire series is now recognised as a significant cultural achievement. And fortunately, during the planning of the Berlin albums, Granz enlisted respected Hollywood arranger Paul Weston, at last supporting Ms Fitzgerald with the level or orchestral accompaniment she deserved.

Soon after completing the studio sessions, she stormed the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles' prime open-air music venue, performing fifteen of the songs live, backed by the full Hollywood Bowl orchestra (individuals sadly unidentified, but all probably first call Hollywood studio musos) playing Weston's arrangements under his direction.

Norman Granz tapped the performance, apparently more for reference than release because the audio quality of the tape reel, found stashed away after his death, is sub-studio quality. While, of all unlikely instruments, the harp is clear, the trumpet solo on 'Cheek To Cheek' sounds as though the unidentified musician might have been trapped in the loo.

Minor blemishes on a major document. Overlook any audio shortfalls because the energy is tangible: all the electricity and looseness of a live performance. Ella engaging with Irving Berlin is a meeting of titans encouraged by the applause of an enthusiastic audience. The orchestra swings vigorously and Ms F (if not the trapped trumpet player) are received strong and clear. The effervescent singing (plus a few apposite off-mike comments like "well, I changed that melody" after ripping through a super high-octane version of 'Puttin' On The Ritz') beg superlatives. Her range is extraordinary. Her rhythmic pulse is faultless. Her enunciation is remarkable: listen how effortlessly she elongates vowel sounds on ‘How Deep Is the Ocean?’. Listen to her delicate handling of waltz-time on ‘Always’. Listen how she dips into her contralto tones to craft a priceless gem out of ‘Russian Lullaby’, a memorial to Berlin’s roots. And how beautifully she navigates the rarely-encountered, subtly chromatic ‘Get Thee Behind Me, Satan’. But most of all, witness how she demonstrates her supremacy over all big band singers with unrestrained versions of ‘I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm’, ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Top Hat, White Tie And Tails’ ‘Puttin On The Ritz’ and ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’.

And that’s why, with sleeve notes by jazz vocal rabbi Will Friedwald plus atmospheric snaps from ace jazz photographers Burt Goldblatt and William Claxton, this album is a rare treat. Bing Crosby once commented: “man, woman or child, Ella is the greatest”. Spot on, Bing. https://londonjazznews.com/2022/06/23/ella-fitzgerald-at-the-hollywood-bowl-the-irving-berlin-songbook/

Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook

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Ella Fitzgerald and Andre Previn - Nice Work If You Can Get It

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:08
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:10) 1. A Foggy Day
(5:15) 2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:54) 3. But Not For Me
(2:47) 4. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
(5:01) 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:31) 6. Who Cares
(4:57) 7. I've Got a Crush On You - Someone to Watch Over Me - Embraceable You
(3:28) 8. They Can't Take That Away From Me

Don't be put off by the Al Hirschfeld image on the front of this one because the record's a nicely laidback effort that gets way past the show biz cover! The sound here is extremely spare and Ella's singing with only the piano of Andre Previn for accompaniment possibly the first time she ever worked this way, in a manner that has all the intimacy of a late nite, small club performance. The tunes are all Gershwin numbers, but presented in ways that differ greatly from Ella's Verve Songbook reading of them a few decades before and titles include "A Foggy Day", "Nice Work If You Can Get", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off", and "But Not For Me". © 1996-2022, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/587233

Ella Fitzgerald, who in the late '50s recorded the very extensive George and Ira Gershwin Songbook, revisits their music on this duet outing with pianist André Previn. Her voice was past her prime by this point, but she was able to bring out a lot of the beauty in the ten songs, giving the classic melodies and lyrics tasteful and lightly swinging treatment. Nice Work If You Can Get It is not an essential CD but is a reasonably enjoyable outing.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-mw0000188151

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald - vocals; André Previn - piano; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - double bass

Nice Work If You Can Get It

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Abraça Jobim

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:11
Size: 173,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:54) 1. Dreamer (Vivo Sonhando)
(5:16) 2. This Love That I've Found (So Tinha de Ser com Voce)
(3:50) 3. The Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema)
(3:56) 4. Somewhere in the Hills (Favela)
(3:48) 5. Photograph (Fotografia)
(5:21) 6. Wave
(4:06) 7. Triste
(5:39) 8. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)
(2:44) 9. Water to Drink (Agua de Beber)
(2:50) 10. Bonita
(3:42) 11. Off Key (Desafinado)
(5:12) 12. He's a Carioca (Ele e Carioca)
(6:36) 13. Dindi
(2:59) 14. How Insensitive (Insensatez)
(3:52) 15. One Note Samba (Samba de Uma Nota So)
(2:17) 16. A Felicidade
(7:59) 17. Useless Landscape (Inutil Paisagem)

For years, "The Girl fom Ipanema" was a staple in Ella Fitzgerald's songbook, so it's something of a wonder that it was not until 1981 that Ella Abraça Jobim, Fitzgerald's double-album immersion in Antonio Carlos Jobim's back catalog, appeared. Ella's first single-composer release since 1964's tribute to Jerome Kern, Ella Abraça Jobim is, more than anything, final proof of the unassuming Brazilian's place in jazz history alongside the great composers. Sadly Jobim's mellow bossa nova, drenched in the Brazilian concept of saudade, or agreeable melancholy, doesn't necessarily gel with Fitzgerald's swing-based and energetic vocal style.

Fitzgerald and her small group take songs like "Agua de Beber (Water to Drink)" at just slightly too speedy a tempo, rushing a bit where they should be gamboling. Fitzgerald is in very good voice compared to some other recordings from her later years, though, sadly, she's clearly not at her peak. Norman Granz's production is typically excellent, however, and the arrangements are refreshingly free of the typical late-'70s/early-'80s post-fusion clichés. Neither Fitzgerald nor Jobim's finest, then, but not without merit.~ Stewart Masonhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/ella-abra%C3%A7a-jobim-sings-the-antonio-carlos-jobim-songbook-mw0000195476

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals; Clark Terry - Trumpet; Zoot Sims - Tenor Saxophone; Toots Thielemans - Harmonica; Henry Trotter - Keyboards; Mike Lang - Keyboards; Clarence McDonald - Keyboards; Joe Pass - Electric guitar (soloist); Oscar Castro-Neves - Acoustic guitar (soloist); Paul Jackson, Jr. - Rhythm guitar; Mitch Holder - Rhythm guitar; Roland Bautista - Rhythm guitar; Abraham Laboriel - Double Bass; Alex Acuña - Drums; Paulinho da Costa - Percussion

Ella Abraca Jobim

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Quincy Jones - Back On The Block

Styles: R&B, Crossover Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:04) 1. Prologue (Q's Rap)
(6:34) 2. Back On The Block
(5:11) 3. I Don't Go For That
(4:54) 4. I'll Be Good To You
(0:31) 5. The Verb To Be
(3:31) 6. Wee B. Dooinit
(6:28) 7. The Places You Find Love
(2:53) 8. Jazz Corner Of The World
(5:34) 9. Birdland
(5:04) 10. Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)
(3:44) 11. One Man Woman
(4:46) 12. Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)
(0:54) 13. Prelude To The Garden
(6:40) 14. The Secret Garden

Back on the Block is a 1989 studio album produced by Quincy Jones. The album features legendary musicians and singers from across three generations, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Ray Charles and a 12-year-old Tevin Campbell.

Multiple singles were lifted from the album and found success on Pop and R&B radio, including "I'll Be Good to You", "I Don't Go for That", "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)", and "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)" which was originally an instrumental track on the Brothers Johnson's Look Out for #1 set. "Tomorrow" is also noteworthy for introducing a young Tevin Campbell to the music scene. Back on the Block won the 1991 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Jones' track, "Setembro (of brazilian composers Gilson Peranzzetta and Ivan Lins)" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1991 film, Boyz n the Hood. Back on the Block topped the R&B Albums chart at number-one for twelve weeks, and topped the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart as well.

Back on the Block featured the last studio recordings of jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Fitzgerald and Jones had previously worked together on her 1963 album with Count Basie, Ella and Basie!. Jones had produced three albums with Sarah Vaughan when they both worked for Mercury Records. At the 33rd Grammy Awards, Back on the Block won seven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

In arranging, Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones, Ian Prince and Rod Temperton won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for "Birdland", and Glen Ballard, Hey, Jones and Clif Magness won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for "The Places You Find Love". Jones also won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Birdland", and the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Bruce Swedien won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for his work on the album. Ray Charles and Chaka Khan won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I'll Be Good To You". The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group went to Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, Quincy Jones III and Jones for "Back on the Block".https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_on_the_Block

Personnel includes: Quincy Jones (vocals, keyboards, programming); Bobby McFerrin (vocals, bass, percussion); Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warrick, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Barry White, Take 6, Tevin Campell, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Al B. Sure! (vocals); Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel (rap vocals); James Moody, Gerald Albright (alto saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis (trumpet); Herbie Hancock, George Duke (keyboards); George Benson, Steve Lukather, Paul Jackson, Jr., (guitar); Nathan East (bass); Harvey Mason (drums); Steve Porcaro, Josef Zawinul, Rod Temperton (programming); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

Back On The Block

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Ella Fitzgerald - Live At The Concertgebouw 1961

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:38
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(1:14) 1. Introduction by Norman Granz
(9:06) 2. Won't You Please Let Me In
(2:45) 3. Too Close For Comfort
(2:21) 4. On A Slow Boat To China
(2:49) 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:05) 6. Heart And Soul
(4:05) 7. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:40) 8. That Old Black Magic
(2:07) 9. Lover Come Back To Me
(3:36) 10. My Funny Valentine
(2:37) 11. I've Got A Crush On You
(3:18) 12. Lorelei
(4:45) 13. Mr Paganini
(4:04) 14. Mack The Knife
(7:00) 15. Saint Louis Blues

The year was 1961, the venue the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. After a memorable performance in Berlin a year earlier, Fitzgerald was once again singing to a packed concert hall. Norman Granz, serious and to the point, introduced the musicians. Lou Levy had long been accompanying Ella. The quartet took the stage with the singer herself. In her fresh, almost girlish voice and that hint of characteristic impertinence, she launched into “Too Close For Comfort”, followed by “On A Slow Boat To China”. By now the singer had the audience firmly in the palm of her hand.

The performance was quite the opposite of what took place in a recording studio. Fitzgerald settled in as if she were in her living room, welcoming each spectator like a privileged guest and each song she sang, a gracefully proffered glass of champagne. The pieces had to be kept short because she had to see that all the members of the public were served. This release has captured that performance, and has been remastered for crystal-clear sound quality. It’s the closest thing to being right there in the audience those five decades ago.~ Product descriptionhttps://www.amazon.ca/Ella-Fitzgerald-LIVE-CONCERTGEBOUW-1961/dp/B074WVCNMZ

Live At The Concertgebouw 1961

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