Buffy G. (bufomander) from DENVER, CO Reviewed on 8/17/2006...
fun stuff.
CD Reviews
I can't stop playing it! Really!
wijic | Wisconsin | 03/20/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you don't like scat, this is the Ella CD to buy. Ella's voice is just perfect, and even though I didn't recoginze any of the songs at first, I can't stop playing them now. Some of the best are "Love you Madly" "All the Things You Are" "Prelude to A Kiss" "Out of this World" "Lover" etc... Okay, so I can't pick just one. Not all of there are slow sentimental love songs, like "Just One of Those Things" and "How About Me?", so it's not really something to cuddle to. However, the songs are a lot of fun, and if you give it a chance, you won't be able to stop listening to it either!"
Ella As Smooth As Honey!
S. Henkels | Devon, Pa United States | 03/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another great Ella Collection! This one has a few semi- hard to find tunes from her work with Duke Ellington that are among the disc's best. These are "Love You Madly", "Solitude",and "Prelude to a Kiss". Finding the best of Ella is not easy, given her vast legacy and super- high quality, but this is a good place to start. And since it's a mix of various Ella "Songbooks", the mix of composers like Duke Ellington, Mercwer, Gershwin, Arlen, and Porter is a nice touch too!"
Simply the Best
Neil | 10/27/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My wife and I were searching for the perfect music for our perfect wedding. We sifted through hours of listening to all the greats - Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, etc. etc...and we finally got to Ella. We bought this album because of the "Love" title - and for no other reason...and we ended up using EVERY song at the wedding. We haven't stopped listening since. Her voice is perfect here - and her use of it is truly a marvel. I highly recommend this one."
Great Combination
Jules | Los Angeles | 08/18/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ella's incomparable voice paired with the legendary song-writing talents of the musical masters on this album makes for a combination only rivaled by champagne and strawberries, peanut butter and jelly, the black and white cookie - well, you get what a i mean: a timeless classic to be enjoyed by all. Whether the song be light-hearted (Beginning to see the Light) or heart-breaking (Solitude), Ella emobdies the essence of the words and sounds so delicately in her voice. Her notes are effortless. What saddens me, however, is that the musical ideas that Fitzgerald obviously puts forth in this compilation is lost on the modern jazz singers of today. Very rarely do you find a singer with a similar thoughtfulness for the lyrics. If you are looking for a nouveau Fizgerald, look to "Siren Songs" by Gretchen Lieberum. Like Ella, Gretchen is delicate and thoughtful with her music, and performs with an air of sophistication highly uncommmon these days. Pair this compilation with Siren Songs and you'll have an evening filled with timeless classics."
Magic!
Sabad One | 12/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the first of Ella Fitzgerald's CDs I ever owned: it was a gift from my girlfriend. My "musical life" has never been the same since. This is the kind of music that makes me wonder how I could have lived so long without. Ella's voice is magic. All of the Best of Verve Songbooks CDs are pure magic. If you like old-fashioned jazz, and you like great voices, you should buy at least 4 or 5 of Ella and/or Louis Armstrong's CDs. Just listen to the audio samples on Amazon.com, and you will find out why, in case you don't know how great they were. These guys were fantastic artists. They should have had 500 more years to live on this planet, and make it a better place with their voices."