Ella Fitzgerald - Ella a Nice (1971)

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella a Nice (1971)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 205MB

OJC

Allmusic:
A 1971 live recording, from when Ella Fitzgerald was still at the peak of her vocal powers, Ella à Nice isn't one of the vocalist's all-time greatest live recordings, but it's a very nice set placing her in the company in which she felt most comfortable, a simple piano/bass/drums trio led by her longtime musical partner, Tommy Flanagan. Most of the set list's time is taken up by themed medleys such as "Aspects of Duke," "The Bossa Scene," and "The Many Faces of Cole Porter" that are perfectly nice but, as medleys tend to be, a little disappointing. One would rather hear Ella work her magic on the entirety of "The Girl From Ipanema" or "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" than be teased with a verse and chorus. On the other hand, the opening "Night and Day" is simply outstanding. Opening slowly with an extended vamp by Flanagan and bassist Frank DeLaRosa, the song settles gracefully into a mellow groove, with Ella's patented scat solo a marvel of melodic improvisation. Though little in the following ten tracks reaches those heights (this was toward the end of that phase when Ella was unwisely covering pop hits of the day, and the set includes her takes on "Something" and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," not to mention the actually entirely appropriate and well-done "Close to You"), Ella à Nice is an entirely pleasant diversion.

Tracks
-01. "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 6:43
-02. "The Many Faces of Cole Porter: Get Out of Town, You'd Be So Easy to Love, You Do Something to Me" (Porter) – 5:22
-03. "The Ballad Medley: Body and Soul, The Man I Love, I Loves You Porgy (Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour)/(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)/(G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 4:42
-04. "The Bossa Scene: The Girl from Ipanema, Fly Me to the Moon, O Nosso Amor, Madalena, Agua de Beber" (Jobim, N Gimbel, V de Moraes)/(B Howard)/(Jobim, de Moraes)/(Jobim, R Monteiro de Souza)/(Jobim, de Moraes) – 5:35
-05. "Summertime" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) – 2:36
-06. "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 4:14
-07. "Aspects of Duke: Mood Indigo, Do Nothing till You Hear from Me, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills)/(Ellington, Bob Russell)/(Ellington, Mills) – 7:16
-08. "Something" (George Harrison) – 3:33
-09. "St. Louis Blues" (W.C. Handy) – 2:59
-10. "Close to You" (Al Hoffman, Carl G. Lampl, Jerry Livingston) –2:45
-11. "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" (Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers) – 4:29
Recorded July 21, 1971, in Nice, France

Personnel
* Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
* Tommy Flanagan - Piano
* Frank DeLaRosa - Double Bass
* Ed Thigpen - drums

sample & buy: Ella a Nice

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Hollywood (1961)

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Hollywood (1961)
Live at The Crescendo

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB

Verve Originals | rel: 2009

Allmusic:
An appearance in Hollywood for a first-rate jazz vocalist was not necessarily an opportunity to broadcast the singer's visage and pander to everyone from Tacoma to Tallahassee. It could also include a date at the Crescendo. The Sunset Strip's best chance to find premier jazz, Gene Norman's nightclub hosted dozens of jazz legends (and a comic or two), and produced more than its share of excellent LPs recorded on location. Better even than Mel Tormé's 1954 classic, the Ella Fitzgerald LP that resulted from her May 1961 appearances generated one of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography. All of her hallmarks -- technical wizardry, breakneck scatting, irrepressible humor and warmth -- are on full display, with a small but expressive quartet backing her performance (including pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, drummer Gus Johnson, and bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks). Although it's full of brilliance, the highlights are clear: a nine-minute scat masterpiece of "Take the 'A' Train," with chorus after chorus of variations, and the shorter but still excellent "Mr. Paganini." (The latter is one of the nods to her early career, along with a set-closing "Air Mail Special.") The balladry is masterful as well, with "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" and "Satin Doll" high on the list. Rarely given a spot on the best LPs of her career, Ella in Hollywood is nonetheless a classic glimpse of Ella at her on-stage best.

Tracks
-01. "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" (Steve Allen) – 2:33
-02. "I've Got the World on a String" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:44
-03. "You're Driving Me Crazy" (Walter Donaldson) – 3:23
-04. "Just in Time" (Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne) – 1:56
-05. "It Might as Well Be Spring" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:07
-06. "Take the "A" Train" (Billy Strayhorn) – 9:04
-07. "Stairway to the Stars" (Matty Malneck, M Parish, Frank Signorelli) – 3:56
-08. "Mr. Paganini" (Sam Coslow) – 4:05
-09. "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Strayhorn) – 2:53
-10. "Blue Moon" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 3:17
-11. "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?" (C Warfield, Clarence Williams) – 3:41
-12. "Air Mail Special" (Charlie Christian, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Mundy) – 5:26
Recorded live, May 11- May 21, 1961, Hollywood, Los Angeles

Personnel
*Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
*Wilfred Middlebrooks - Bass
*Lou Levy - Piano
*Gus Johnson - Drums
*Herb Ellis - Guitar

sample & buy: Ella in Hollywood (Dig)

Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie - A Classy Pair (1979) (eac-log-cover)

Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie - A Classy Pair (1979)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 230MB

Pablo

Allmusic:
This studio album matches together Ella Fitzgerald and the Count Basie Orchestra 16 years after they first recorded together. Basie's sidemen are unfortunately restricted in the Benny Carter arrangements to backup work but Basie has a few piano solos and Fitzgerald is in good voice and in typically swinging form. Highlights include "Just a Sittin' and a Rockin'," "Teach Me Tonight" and "Honeysuckle Rose."

Tracks
-1. "Honeysuckle Rose" - Andy Razaf, Fats Waller - 5:58
-2. "My Kind of Trouble Is You" - Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort - 4:35
-3. "Teach Me Tonight" - Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul - 3:15
-4. "Organ Grinder's Swing" - Will Hudson, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish - 5:56
-5. "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" - Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler - 3:30
-6. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" - George Bassman, Ned Washington - 2:52
-7. "Ain't Misbehavin'" - Harry Brooks, Razaf, Waller - 4:00
-8. "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'" - D Ellington, Lee Gaines, Billy Strayhorn - 4:42
-9. "Sweet Lorraine" - Cliff Burwell, Parish - 4:23

Personnel
* Ella Fitzgerald - vocals
* John Clayton - double bass
* Ray Brown, Pete Minger, Sonny Cohn, Nolan Andrew Smith - trumpets
* Bobby Plater, Danny Turner, Kenny Hing, Eric Dixon, Charlie Fowlkes - saxophones
* Bill Hughes, Mel Wanzo, Dennis Wilson, Mitchell 'Booty' Wood - trombone
* Freddie Green - guitar
* Butch Miles - drums
* Count Basie - piano

sample & buy: A Classy Pair

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella In Hamburg (1965) (eac-log-cover)

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella In Hamburg (1965)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 360MB

Verve | 2007 remaster

AMG:
Ella Fitzgerald and the Tommy Flanagan Trio (the pianist is joined by bassist Keter Betts and drummer Gus Johnson) are in top form during this engaging 1965 concert in Hamburg, Germany; after being out of print for decades it finally was reissued on CD in Japan. She's at her best singing classic material such as the uptempo "That Old Black Magic" and a strutting take of "And the Angels Sing" (not a song one typically associates with Ella). She also is very effective on ballads such as "Body and Soul," "Here's That Rainy Day," and "Angel Eyes." Even though liner note writer implies that the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" is a great jazz vehicle, it is actually a resounding dud, as was often the case when the singer ventured into covering rock hits of the 1960s and 1970s. But an occasional misfire should not dissuade anyone from acquiring this CD, as Ella Fitzgerald is in great voice throughout the performance, and Tommy Flanagan's accompaniment is matchless.

Tracks:
01. "Walk Right In" (Gus Cannon, Hosea Woods) – 3:43
02. "That Old Black Magic" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 4:20
03. "Body and Soul" (Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour) – 4:46
04. "Here's That Rainy Day" (Sonny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:41
05. "And the Angels Sing" (Ziggy Elman, Mercer) – 4:00
06. "A Hard Day's Night" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 3:21
07. Ellington Medley: "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me"/"Mood Indigo"/"It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Bob Russell) – 6:38
08. "The Boy from Ipanema" (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel, Vinícius de Moraes) – 3:04
09. "Don't Rain on My Parade" (Bob Merrill, Jule Styne) – 3:19
10. "Angel Eyes" (Earl Brent, Matt Dennis) – 3:39
11. "Smooth Sailing" (Arnett Cobb) – 4:07
12. "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" (Traditional) – 3:51

Personnel:
* Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
* Tommy Flanagan Trio:
* Tommy Flanagan - Piano
* Keter Betts - Bass
* Gus Johnson - Drums
Recorded March 26, 1965, in Hamburg, Germany

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Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie - The Perfect Match_Montreux '79 (music video) (DVD5) (iso-mds)

Ella & Basie - The Perfect Match_Montreux '79
DVD5 PAL | DD5.1; DTS5.1; PCM2.0 | 4:3 | 85 min | iso-mds | Covers | 4,7 GB
Eagle Vision - Norman Granz | Genre: jazz | rel. 2004 | RAR +5% recovery
AMG:
Ella Fitzgerald was just a tad past her prime during this 1979 concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival with the Count Basie Orchestra, though she still is very much a swinging vocalist who can keep an audience in the palm of her hand. With her regular trio, including pianist Paul Smith, bassist Keter Betts, and drummer Mickey Roker accompanying her for most of the concert, plus the powerful Basie band pushing her, Ella gives her all on every number, interpolating quotes from a number of different songs, both familiar and obscure. She's at her best in the up-tempo swingers that were part of her repertoire for ages, among them "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "After You've Gone." Her vibrato is a bit more noticeable during "'Round Midnight," though it is still an effective interpretation. Ella's highlight is easily her scat treatment of "Flying Home," which mixes in so many song quotes that is difficult to track all of them ("Moose the Mooche," "On the Trail," and "I'se a Muggin'" are among them), while she also simulates a number of instruments, too. Basie finally takes over at the piano for the last two numbers, including an impromptu blues that gives way to "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," followed by Ella's touching interpretation of "I've Got a Crush on You," with Smith back on piano. The audio and video have some imperfections, as it is unlikely that producer Norman Granz documented the concert with the intention of commercial issue, but any fan of Ella Fitzgerald will want this rewarding DVD in his or her collection.

Tracks:
Presentation By Nat Hentoff; Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone ; Sweet Georgia Brown; Some Other Spring; Make Me Rainbows; After You've Gone; Round Midnight; Dindi; Fine & Mellow; (I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You; Flying Home; You've Changed; Honeysuckle Rose; St. Louis Blues; B & E (Basella), A-Tisket, A-Tasket; I've Got A Crush On You.

Personnel:
Ella Fitzgerald, vocals; Count Basie, piano; Paul Smith, piano; Mickey Roker, drums; Keter Betts, bass. Also features the Count Basie Orchestra.

video sample

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Ella Fitzgerald & Cole Porter - Dream Dancing (1978) (eac-flac-cover)

Ella Fitzgerald & Cole Porter - Dream Dancing (1978)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB

OJC | rar +5% recovery

AMG
Originally released on Atlantic as Ella Loves Cole and then reissued on Pablo with two extra cuts from 1978, this set features the great Ella Fitzgerald (still in excellent form) backed by an orchestra arranged by Nelson Riddle performing an extensive set of Cole Porter songs. Fifteen years earlier Fitzgerald had had great success with her Cole Porter Songbook and this date, even with a few hokey arrangements, almost reaches the same level. Trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison and pianist Tommy Flanagan are among the supporting cast. Highlights include "I Get a Kick out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "All of You," "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Just One of Those Things."

Tracks
1. "Dream Dancing" – 4:02
2. "I've Got You Under My Skin" – 3:17
3. "I Concentrate on You" – 4:06
4. "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" – 2:33
5. "Love for Sale" – 4:36
6. "So Near and Yet So Far" – 2:21
7. "Down in the Depths (on the Ninetieth Floor)" – 3:40
8. "After You, Who?" – 3:14
9. "Just One of Those Things" – 3:53
10. "I Get a Kick Out of You" – 4:21
11. "All of You" – 2:18
12. "Anything Goes" – 2:51
13. "At Long Last Love" – 2:27
14. "C'est Magnifique" – 2:32
15. "Without Love" (lyrics by Ella Fitzgerald) – 2:46
All songs written by Cole Porter, except where indicated.

Personnel
* Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
* Jackie Davis - Organ
* Louie Bellson - Drums

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