Ella Fitzgerald recorded so much, and so much of what she recorded was so good, that the notion of one album summing her up is all but ludicrous. That said, this two-disc set, a companion to a television documentary by the same title, comes the closest of any album so far. It is the first album to span the two most important eras of her recordings, the Decca years, 1935-1955, and the Verve years, 1956-1966. The eight Decca performances include Fitzgerald's first big hit, {&"A-Tisket, A-Tasket   [ read more ]

CD $28.48

Although it shouldn't be mistaken for a definitive compilation of their work together, Jazz 'Round Midnight is a good sampler of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's duets for the label, featuring 14 tracks including "Can't We Be Friends," "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin," "Under a Blanket of Blue," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," "I'm Puttin' All My Eggs in One Basket," "April in Paris" and "Stars Fell on Alabama." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

CD $11.38

Comprising 16 of the 51 tracks (one-third) from the original First Lady of Song three-CD collection, this edited single disc is for those disinclined to purchase the full set or complete works. It might be advisable first to search for any full album sides of specific sessions or tributes to composers that Ella Fitzgerald had done, but this smaller compilation does contain some of her better songs, falling short of an essential greatest-hits or best-of effort. Such all-time classics as {&"Can't We Be    [ read more ]

CD $11.38

By no means does this CD contain all of the Gershwin that Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong recorded together for Norman Granz, nor is it entirely an Ella/Louis album. Rather, it is a hopscotch yet nevertheless unified sampler of the Verve Gershwin archive, ingratiatingly programmed so that Ella and Louis sing together, trade off solo renditions, and remind us of their inimitable personalities at all times. All three albums that Ella and Louis made together are represen   [ read more ]

CD $11.38

CD $5.68

This is a delightful Christmas jazz reissue featuring Ella Fitzgerald in prime form. On most selections she is backed by Frank DeVol's orchestra. The original dozen selections have been expanded with the addition of three alternate takes plus three selections only out previously on samplers, including "Christmas Island." Fitzgerald clearly had a fun time recording such songs as "Jingle Bells," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and {&"Frosty the Sno   [ read more ]

CD $17.08

Over the years, there have been different incarnations of Ella and Louis Again, which has been a single LP, a two-LP set, a single CD, and a two-CD audiophile set from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. There are no compelling reasons why someone who already owns the audiophile version of Ella and Louis Again that Mobile Fidelity put out in 1995 would find this 2003 version to be an essential purchase -- Verve hasn't added any alternate takes or bonus tracks, and this double CD contains the very same   [ read more ]

CD $18.98

This CD reissues Ella Fitzgerald's second studio session with Duke Ellington, following her first (Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook) by eight years. The underrated set begins quietly with four emotional ballads (who else could hold their own with Johnny Hodges on "Passion Flower?") before Fitzgerald gets to scat a bit on the closing vamp of "Azure," comes up with fresh ideas on "Duke's Place" and closes the show by scatting up a storm on "Cotton Tail." The band makes its presence   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

The second of three duet albums by Ella Fitzgerald and guitarist Joe Pass (which has been reissued on CD) finds the duo uplifting 14 superior standards with subtle improvising and gentle swing. Highpoints include the wordless "Rain," "I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues," "That Old Feeling," "You Took Advantage of Me" and "The One I Love"; even "Tennessee Waltz" comes out sounding like classic swing. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

CD $11.38

CD $11.38

Of all of her Songbooks (which are now available on the remarkable 16-CD set The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books), the Harold Arlen and Duke Ellington sets are the most jazz-oriented. With perfectly suitable arrangements by Billy May for the big band and occasional strings, she really digs into the 26 Arlen songs, giving her own sympathetic interpretations to such classics as "Blues in the Night," "Stormy Weather," "My Shining Hour," "That Old Black Magic," {&"Come Ra   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

Taken from a Jazz at the Philharmonic tour, Ella Fitzgerald is backed by pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Jo Jones on two well-rounded sets. Actually, the two dates are quite similar, with eight of the nine songs being repeated (although the second "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Oh, Lady Be Good" find her backed by a riffing eight-horn all-star group), so this reissue CD is mostly recommended to her greatest fans. However, the music is wonder   [ read more ]

CD $14.23