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Ella Fitzgerald
Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Ella Fitzgerald
Genres: Jazz, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists

Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
1. A-Tisket A-Tasket
2. Vote For Mr. Rhythm
3. Betcha Nickel
4. Flyin' Home
5. Nice Work If You Can Get It
6. Smooth Sailing
7. Lullaby Of Birdland
8. Night and Day
9. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
10. Sophisticated Lady
11. Oh, Lady Be Good!
12. Blue Skies
13. Mack The Knife
14. How High The Moon
15. Blues In The Night
16. (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr. Paganini
17. A Night In Tunisia
18. Shiny Stockings

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CD Details

All Artists: Ella Fitzgerald
Title: Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Ella Fitzgerald
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 1
Label: Polygram Records
Original Release Date: 11/7/2000
Release Date: 11/7/2000
Genres: Jazz, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Swing Jazz, Traditional Jazz & Ragtime, Vocal Jazz, Oldies, Vocal Pop, Traditional Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 731454908726, 0731454908726

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Throughout much of her career, Ella Fitzgerald was the reigning queen of jazz singers, applying her consummate musicality to uptempo swing and bop material, as well as the usual mix of ballads and show tunes. Fitzgerald's ability to swing was immediately apparent in her early work with drummer Chick Webb, which produced the novelty rhythm hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" from 1938. However, the breadth of her talent becomes apparent here with the inspired scat improvising on "Flying Home" from 1945 and the mature balladry of "Nice Work If You Can Get It," recorded with just the accompaniment of pianist Ellis Larkins in 1954. Fitzgerald is heard here in collaboration with some of the greatest names in jazz. There's a 1957 meeting with Louis Armstrong on "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and a 1963 encounter with the Basie band on "Shiny Stockings." There's also a sampling of her multivolume Song Book recordings, including a wonderful "Sophisticated Lady" with tenor saxophonist Ben Webster from the Ellington set. Live recordings with her working rhythm section, such as "How High the Moon," are filled with playful exuberance, but there's also restrained artfulness in the introduction to "Blue Skies" and the lyric concentration of "Blues in the Night." --Stuart Broomer

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CD Reviews

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skimid | New York, NY | 01/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having bought many of the Ella Fitzgerald "songbooks" issued on CD, I was skeptical at first if I really needed yet another Ella CD. My skepticism quickly disappeared after listening to this CD. There is a great sampling of all of Ella's music and especially her unique scat music style which is well represented here. Early recordings combined with live recordings demonstrate her technical skill and artistry as a vocal musician. Some of the earliest recorded music reissued here has some background hiss but only on one or two tracks at the most. Do not let the fact that this is part of the Ken Burns Jazz Series discourage you from getting this CD. After purchasing this CD, I decided one can never have too many Ella CDs."

Wonderful

G. Sawaged | Canada | 07/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"18 wonderful songs spanning the years from 1936 to 1963. This album is a wonderful introduction to a wonderful jazz singer. Some of her best work is here, and is guaranteed to make you want to get more Ella. Her scatting and improvisations are second to none. Her Louis Armstrong impression on "Mack the knife" and her Slam Stewart impression on "How high the Moon" are a hoot. What a talented lady. There will never be another Ella. The booklet includes a 2 page essay and a couple of photos. I highly recommend this album, it's a must-have."

I'd give it six stars if I could!

Daniel | Atlanta, GA USA | 08/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ms. Fitzgerald is the personification of effervescence. She bubbles and sparkles endlessly and this cd is a great introduction. It spans much of her classic material, starting at the beginning. She is so greatly talented and full of warmth. I just love her. I wish I could have met her. Buy this. (wink!)"

Must Have Been A Tough Chore Putting This One Together

Daniel | 08/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can just imagine Ken Burns sitting down, trying to decide what songs from the vast repertoire of the First Lady of Jazz to include in an 18-track CD. Almost nigh on impossible, although the opening track was certainly a no-brainer. Ella is one among very few artists who could have taken an 1800's nursery rhyme and turn it into a # 1 hit, which she did in 1938 with Chick Webb's orchestra on A-Tisket, A-Tasket.

After that, however, it must have been agony for Burns. What to include - what not to include? Track 2 was also a Chick Webb recording from 1938 with Ella on vocals, and for track 3 he includes one after she took over Webb's band following his untimely death in 1939 and changed the billing to Ella Fitzgerald And Her Famous Orchestra.

I just wish he hadn't skimmed over the 1940s, providing only 1945's Flying Home, done with Vic Schoen's orchestra, long-time collaborator with The Andrews Sisters. Although she's at her scat-singing best on the old 1939 Benny Goodman hit, that part of her career also included Five O'Clock Whistle and When My Sugar Walks Down The Street - both with Her Famous Orchestra, several duets with The Ink Spots [Cow-Cow Boogie, Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall, I'm Beginning To See The Light], and another gem with The Delta Rhythm Boys, It's Only A Paper Room.

But it's hard - no impossible - to be critical of what he does include. ANYTHING this gallant lady recorded was and is priceless entertainment. Here the sound reproduction is fantastic, as are the liner notes by Phil Bailey, the contents discography, and the photographs of Ella with Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington.

For the record the accompanying artists on the other tracks sound like a Who's Who of Jazz: Ellis Larkins, Bill Doggett, Sy Oliver, Buddy Bregman, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, Louis Bellson, Ben Webster, Stuff Smith, Paul Smith, Barney Kessel, Alvin Stoller, Roy Eldridge, J.J. Johnson, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips, Lester Young, Connie Kay, Paul Weston - to name just a few. All the names are shown for each track.

You can't have an Ella Fitzgerald collection without this one."