This admittedly pricey -- but by all means mandatory -- Grammy Award-winning box set is the final word on the "songbooks" recorded by Ella Fitzgerald between 1956 and 1964. In order of their initial release, contained within are Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (1956), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book (1956), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book (1957), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (1958), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book (1959), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book (1961), Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book (1963), and finally, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book (1964). The audio contents have been completely remastered and each title has been expanded -- wherever possible -- to include previously unissued material. In terms of packaging, the producers went to extreme lengths to create exact reproductions of all the vintage LP jacket artwork. Even going so far as to precisely miniaturize the entire hardbound text The Gershwins: Words Upon Music that accompanied their 1959 collection as well as the booklet that came with the Ellington anthology. The icing on the cake is the newly created 120-page tome that puts both the eight respective songbooks -- and their over 240 musical selections -- in proper context of Fitzgerald's luminous career. Readers are also treated to behind-the-scenes insights on the artist's interaction with the veritable who's who of arrangers. Among them are Buddy Bregman, who worked on Cole Porter as well as Rodgers & Hart; the dynamic duo of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on the Ellington set; Paul Weston directed the Irving Berlin entry; Nelson Riddle was in charge of the George and Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, and Jerome Kern installments; and Billy May held the baton during the Harold Arlen sessions. There are a few sides that shouldn't be overlooked, especially as they are otherwise or formerly unavailable. Particularly worthy of mention are "You're the Top," "I Concentrate on You," and "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" from Cole Porter. Plus, a ten-minute rehearsal with Ellington and an alternate of "Chelsea Bridge" from the same. The Gershwin affair yielded an extra version of "Oh, Lady Be Good," while the Arlen catalog produced outtakes of "Let's Take a Walk Around the Block" and "Sing My Heart." As previously mentioned, The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books (1993) received the nod for Best Historical Recording at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994.
by Lindsay Planer
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The Cole Porter Songbook (1956)
Ella Fitzgerald had the ability to personalize some of the most recognizable material from the foremost songwriters in American popular music history. In this instance, the combination of Cole Porter's words and Fitzgerald's interpretation of them created one of the most sought after sessions in vocal history -- embraced by jazz and pop fans alike, transcending boundaries often associated with those genres. Originally released in 1956 on the Verve label, such standards as "Night and Day," "I Love Paris," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "You're the Top," and "Love for Sale" secured one of Ella Fitzgerald's crowning moments. The success of these early Porter (and previous Gershwin) sessions brought about numerous interpretations of other songbooks throughout the next several years including those of Rodgers and Hart, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, and Irving Berlin.
by Al Campbell
Tracklist 1:
1. All Through the Night (3:17)
2. Anything Goes (3:23)
3. Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable to Lunch Today) (3:02)
4. Too Darn Hot (3:50)
5. In the Still of the Night (2:40)
6. I Get a Kick out of You (4:02)
7. Do I Love You? (3:52)
8. (I'm) Always True to You in My Fashion (2:50)
9. Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) (3:34)
10. Just One of Those Things (3:33)
11. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye (3:34)
12. All of You (1:46)
13. Begin the Beguine (3:39)
14. Get out of Town (3:24)
15. I Am in Love (4:08)
16. From This Moment On (3:17)
Tracklist 2:
1. I Love Paris (4:59)
2. You Do Something to Me (2:23)
3. Ridin' High (3:23)
4. Easy to Love (3:27)
5. It's All Right with Me (3:09)
6. Why Can't You Behave? (5:07)
7. What Is This Thing Called Love? (2:06)
8. You're the Top (3:36)
9. Love for Sale (5:55)
10. It's De-lovely (2:44)
11. Night and Day (3:06)
12. Ace in the Hole (2:00)
13. So in Love (3:53)
14. I've Got You Under My Skin (2:44)
15. I Concentrate on You (3:14)
16. Don't Fence Me In (3:24)
17. You're the Top (2:10)
18. I Concentrate on You (3:03)
19. Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) (8:51)
Credits:
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Cello – Edgar Lustgarden, Robert La Marchina
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Harp – Corky Hale
Piano – Paul Smith
Saxophone – Bob Cooper, Bud Shank, Chuck Gentry, Herb Geller, Ted Nash
Trombone – George Roberts, Joe Howard, Lloyd Ulyate, Milt Bernhart
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo, Harry Edison, Maynard Ferguson, Pete Candoli
Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
Written-By – Cole Porter
The Rodgers and Hart Songbook (1956)
The second of Ella Fitzgerald's famed Songbook series features her singing 34 of the best songs co-written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The arrangements by Buddy Bregman for the string orchestra and big band only border on jazz but she manages to swing the medium-tempo numbers and give sensitivity to the ballads. With such songs as "You Took Advantage of Me," "The Lady Is a Tramp," "It Never Entered My Mind," "Where or When," "My Funny Valentine," and "Blue Moon," it is not too surprising that these recordings (originally released on a two-LP set) were so popular.
by Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1:
1. Have You Met Miss Jones? (3:45)
2. You Took Advantage of Me (3:31)
3. A Ship Without a Sail (4:11)
4. To Keep My Love Alive (3:38)
5. Dancing on the Ceiling (He Dances on My Ceiling) (4:10)
6. The Lady Is a Tramp (3:25)
7. With a Song in My Heart (2:48)
8. Manhattan (2:52)
9. Johnny One Note (2:16)
10. I Wish I Were in Love Again (2:40)
11. Spring Is Here (3:42)
12. It Never Entered My Mind (4:10)
13. This Can't Be Love (2:58)
14. Thou Swell (2:07)
15. My Romance (3:46)
16. Where or When (2:51)
17. Little Girl Blue (3:55)
Tracklist 2:
1. Give It Back to the Indians (3:15)
2. Ten Cents a Dance (4:10)
3. There's a Small Hotel (2:52)
4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (3:51)
5. Ev'rything I've Got (3:25)
6. I Could Write a Book (3:42)
7. Blue Room (2:33)
8. My Funny Valentine (3:56)
9. Bewitched (7:05)
10. Mountain Greenery (2:17)
11. Wait Till You See Her (1:34)
12. Lover (stereo take) (3:21)
13. Isn't It Romantic? (3:04)
14. Here in My Arms (1:56)
15. Blue Moon (3:15)
16. My Heart Stood Still (3:07)
17. I've Got Five Dollars (2:42)
18. Lover (monaural take) (3:15)
Credits:
Acoustic Bass – Joe Mandragon
Arranged By – Buddy Bregman
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Lead Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
Orchestra – The Buddy Bregman Orchestra
Piano – Paul Smith
Songwriter – Rodgers & Hart
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster
The Duke Ellington Songbook (1957)
Ella Fitzgerald's outstanding songbook series has become an institution unto itself. This 1957 effort is distinguished from Fitzgerald's other songbooks in that it is the only album in which the composer whose work she is singing actively participates. In fact, these recordings are packed with some of the key figures in 20th century jazz. As if Ella and Duke weren't enough, Ellington's arranger/composer Billy Strayhorn, guest musicians Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson, and brilliant record producer Norman Granz all have a hand in the proceedings. And what better backing band could one want than Duke's orchestra? The usual suspects -- Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, and Sam Woodyard, among others -- contribute fine performances throughout. Duke's spectacular catalog dazzles, and his sprightly, lush textures are transfigured under Fitzgerald's warm-timbred voice and elegant, precise delivery. Included here are classics like "Rockin' in Rhythm," "Caravan," "Satin Doll," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," and "It Don't Mean a Thing...," each tune as familiar as it is delightful to hear in this new context.
by AllMusic
Tracklist 1:
1. Rockin' in Rhythm (5:21)
2. Drop Me Off in Harlem (3:51)
3. Day Dream (4:01)
4. Caravan (3:55)
5. Take the 'A' Train (6:42)
6. I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues (4:44)
7. Clementine (2:41)
8. I Didn't Know About You (4:13)
9. I'm Beginning to See the Light (3:28)
10. Lost in Meditation (3:28)
11. Perdido (6:14)
12. Cotton Tail (3:27)
13. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me (7:40)
Tracklist 2:
1. Just A-sittin' and A-rockin' (3:35)
2. Solitude (2:09)
3. Rocks in My Bed (3:59)
4. Satin Doll (3:29)
5. Sophisticated Lady (5:22)
6. Just Squeeze Me (4:17)
7. It Don't Mean a Thing (if It Ain't Got That Swing) (4:15)
8. Azure (2:23)
9. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart (4:12)
10. In a Sentimental Mood (2:48)
11. Don't Get Around Much Any More (5:02)
12. Prelude to a Kiss (5:30)
13. Mood Indigo (3:28)
14. In a Mellow Tone (5:12)
15. Love You Madly (4:42)
16. Lush Life (3:41)
17. Squatty Roo (3:39)
Tracklist 3:
1. I'm Just a Lucky So and So (4:15)
2. All Too Soon (4:24)
3. Everything but You (2:58)
4. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) (6:15)
5. Bli-Blip (3:05)
6. Chelsea Bridge (3:26)
7. Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald (16:19)
8. The E and D Blues (E for Ella, D for Duke) (4:55)
9. Rehearsal (10:10)
10. Chelsea Bridge (alternate take) (3:38)
Credits
Leader – Duke Ellington
Orchestra – Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
Producer [Original Recording] – Norman Granz
Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
The Irving Berlin Songbook (1958)
It is difficult to know where to begin when approaching an artist as wonderful as Ella Fitzgerald, especially when covering a revered recording like Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book from the late '50s. This set includes two CDs with 32 songs chosen from Berlin's collection of nearly 800 songs. These selections are perfectly suited for Fitzgerald's voice and her romantic sensibility; they are happy, occasionally sad, and full of swinging rhythm. A few of these songs -- "Cheek to Cheek," "Puttin' on the Ritz," and "Blue Skies" -- will be most familiar; others, "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails," "Russian Lullaby," and "All By Myself" are as memorable but perhaps less known. Choices like "Isn't This a Lovely Day?" feature everything a listener would want in a song: intelligent lyrics, memorable melodies, and a strong emotional center. To say that Fitzgerald is in good voice for these recordings would be an understatement; her presentation here is simply regal. It should be pointed out that these two- and three-minute tunes are tightly arranged, and don't allow the freedom of extended scat singing as on Ella in Berlin. The arrangements are also lovely, featuring the tasteful support of Paul Weston & His Orchestra, which never overpowers Fitzgerald. Such songs as "Cheek to Cheek" and "How Deep Is the Ocean?" -- the standards that once dominated singers' repertoires -- seem absent from today's musical scene. That may be unfortunate, but they continue to live healthy lives in recordings like this one. For fans who have enjoyed other songbook recordings, this reissue is a must-have; for those unfamiliar with Fitzgerald's songbook work, this is an excellent place to start.
by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.
Tracklist 1:
1. Let's Face the Music and Dance (2:58)
2. You're Laughing at Me (3:18)
3. Let Yourself Go (2:20)
4. You Can Have Him (3:47)
5. Russian Lullaby (1:55)
6. Puttin' on the Ritz (2:19)
7. Get Thee Behind Me, Satan (3:49)
8. Alexander's Ragtime Band (2:44)
9. Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails (2:36)
10. How About Me? (3:18)
11. Cheek to Cheek (3:49)
12. I Used to Be Color Blind (2:34)
13. Lazy (2:40)
14. How Deep Is the Ocean? (3:12)
15. All by Myself (2:29)
16. Remember (3:27)
Tracklist 2:
1. Suppertime (3:19)
2. How's Chances? (2:49)
3. Heat Wave (2:26)
4. Isn't This a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain) (3:30)
5. You Keep Coming Back Like a Song (3:36)
6. Reaching for the Moon (2:19)
7. Slumming on Park Avenue (2:24)
8. The Song Is Ended (but the Melody Lingers On) (2:30)
9. I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket (3:01)
10. Now It Can Be Told (3:13)
11. Always (3:09)
12. It's a Lovely Day Today (2:29)
13. Change Partners (3:19)
14. No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) (3:04)
15. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (3:00)
16. Blue Skies (3:44)
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Paul Weston
Bass – Jack Ryan, Joe Mondragon
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Paul Smith
Producer [Original Recordings] – Norman Granz
Trombone – Dick Noel (2), Ed Kusby, William Schaefer
Trumpet – Don Fagerquist, Harry "Sweets" Edison*, John Best, Manny Klein, Pete Candoli
Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
Woodwind – Babe Russin, Chuck Gentry, Fred Stulce, Gene Cipriano, Leonard Hartman, Matty Matlock, Ted Nash
The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (1959)
During the late '50s, Ella Fitzgerald continued her Song Book records with Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, releasing a series of albums featuring 59 songs written by George and Ira Gershwin. Those songs, plus alternate takes, were combined on a four-disc box set, Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, in 1998. These performances are easily among Fitzgerald's very best, and for any serious fan, this is the ideal place to acquire the recordings, since the sound and presentation are equally classy and impressive.
by Leo Stanley
Tracklist 1:
1. Ambulatory Suite (7:17)
2. The Preludes (6:38)
3. Sam and Delilah (3:18)
4. But Not for Me (3:35)
5. My One and Only (2:39)
6. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (4:30)
7. (I've Got) Beginner's Luck (3:11)
8. Oh, Lady Be Good (4:02)
9. Nice Work if You Can Get It (3:35)
10. Things Are Looking Up (3:06)
11. Just Another Rhumba (5:38)
12. How Long Has This Been Going On? (3:48)
13. 'S Wonderful (3:31)
14. The Man I Love (3:54)
15. That Certain Feeling (3:06)
16. By Strauss (2:33)
17. Someone to Watch over Me (4:35)
18. The Real American Folk Song (3:46)
19. Who Cares? (3:06)
Tracklist 2:
1. Looking for a Boy (3:07)
2. They All Laughed (3:06)
3. My Cousin in Milwaukee (3:11)
4. Somebody from Somewhere (3:09)
5. A Foggy Day (3:34)
6. Clap Yo' Hands (2:32)
7. For You, for Me, for Evermore (3:26)
8. Stiff Upper Lip (2:54)
9. Boy Wanted (3:36)
10. Strike Up the Band (2:37)
11. Soon (2:24)
12. I've Got a Crush on You (3:31)
13. Bidin' My Time (2:43)
14. Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did? (3:31)
15. Of Thee I Sing (Baby) (3:10)
16. 'The Half of It, Dearie' Blues (3:49)
17. I Was Doing All Right (3:29)
18. He Loves and She Loves (2:46)
Tracklist 3:
1. Love Is Sweeping the Country (3:27)
2. Treat Me Rough (2:57)
3. Love Is Here to Stay (3:57)
4. Slap That Bass (3:27)
5. Isn't It a Pity? (3:27)
6. Shall We Dance? (3:10)
7. Love Walked In (3:55)
8. You've Got What Gets Me (2:16)
9. They Can't Take That Away from Me (3:11)
10. Embraceable You (4:54)
11. I Can't Be Bothered Now (2:51)
12. Boy! What Love Has Done to Me! (3:50)
13. Fascinating Rhythm (3:26)
14. Funny Face (3:25)
15. Lorelei (3:24)
16. Oh, So Nice (3:42)
17. Let's Kiss and Make Up (3:53)
18. I Got Rhythm (3:11)
19. Somebody Loves Me (2:37)
20. Cheerful Little Earful (2:09)
21. Oh, Lady Be Good (alternate take) (4:11)
22. But Not for Me (2:26)
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Nelson Riddle
Producer [Album Original Recordings] – Norman Granz
The Harold Arlen Songbook (1961)
Ella Fitzgerald's idea to sing the songbooks of major writers proved smart, savvy, and artful. By the time she began to record Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book in 1960, she had sung the songbooks of Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and Irving Berlin. This relaxed and tastefully arranged set showcases Fitzgerald in her prime, confidently engaging 28 of Arlen's best songs. Familiar pieces like "One for My Baby" and "That Old Black Magic" make appearances, along with all-time classics like "Stormy Weather" and "Over the Rainbow." On this latter tune, she adds the front verses, an appealing addition that few will be familiar with. Billy May's orchestra lays down a quiet mix of horns and strings that perfectly supports Fitzgerald on songs like "When the Sun Comes Out" and "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe." Four bonus tracks, including two alternative cuts, spice up the package. A particular oddity, "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead," converts surprisingly well into big-band jazz. Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book is an exquisite album, a classic in vocal jazz, and one of Fitzgerald's best recordings.
by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.
Tracklist 1:
1. Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me) (7:17)
2. Let's Fall in Love (4:08)
3. Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time) (5:19)
4. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (2:28)
5. My Shining Hour (4:05)
6. Hooray for Love (2:48)
7. This Time the Dream's on Me (4:42)
8. That Old Black Magic (4:15)
9. I've Got the World on a String (4:56)
10. Let's Take a Walk Around the Block (4:05)
11. Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good) (3:58)
12. Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive (3:38)
Tracklist 2:
1. When the Sun Comes Out (5:10)
2. Come Rain or Come Shine (3:24)
3. As Long as I Live (3:48)
4. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe (3:31)
5. It's Only a Paper Moon (3:37)
6. The Man That Got Away (5:21)
7. One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) (3:59)
8. It Was Written in the Stars (5:12)
9. Get Happy (3:34)
10. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues (5:13)
11. Out of This World (2:46)
12. Over the Rainbow (4:21)
13. Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead (3:20)
14. Sing My Heart (2:49)
15. Let's Take a Walk Around the Block (alternate take) (4:07)
16. Sing My Heart (alternate take) (5:38)
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter, Ted Nash
Arranged By – Billy May, Walter Sheets
Baritone Saxophone – Chuck Gentry
Bass Trombone – George Roberts
Cello – Armand Kaproff, Edgar Lustgarten, Eleanor Slatkin, Ray Kramer
Composed By – Harold Arlen
Double Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Al Hendrickson, Herb Ellis, John Collins
Harp – Verlye Brilhart
Orchestrated By – Billy May
Piano – Lou Levy, Paul Smith
Producer [Original Recordings] – Norman Granz
Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson
Trombone – Dick Noel, Ed Kusby, Milt Bernhart
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo, Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach, Joe Triscari
Vibraphone – Emil Richards
Viola – Alvin Dinkin, Louis Kievman, Paul Robyn, Virginia Majewski
Violin – Benny Gill, Dan Lube, Erno Neufeld, Gerald Vinci, Israel Baker, Jaques Gasselin, Joseph Stepanski, Lou Raderman, Marshall Sosson, Mischa Russell, Murray Kellner, Nathan Ross
Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
Woodwind – Henry Beau, Jules Jacob, Justin Gordon, Wilbur Schwartz
The Jerome Kern Songbook (1963)
Ella Fitzgerald is rightfully adored for her superb, often-definitive interpretations of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, and Gershwin tunes, which are well documented in her Song Book series. The addition of Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book to Fitzgerald's discography is welcome. Recorded in 1963, the album proves Fitzgerald's voice as golden as ever. Yet age was beginning to color her singing a bit, and that texture adds a beautiful dimension to songs like the dark "Why Was I Born?" and the yearning "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man." Nelson Riddle's charts are typically smart and swinging, with a lush, full sound that balances punch and lyricism. Fitzgerald's ebullient delivery and honey-rich timbre bring out the humor of "A Fine Romance," the wistfulness of "I'm Old Fashioned," and the tender romance of "The Way You Look Tonight," putting her distinctive stamp on each. It's sure to please fans of Kern and big-band standards, and for aficionados of Fitzgerald's other Song Book albums, this is a must.
by Anthony Tognazzini
Tracklist:
1. Let's Begin (3:00)
2. A Fine Romance (3:40)
3. All the Things You Are (3:20)
4. I'll Be Hard to Handle (3:52)
5. You Couldn't Be Cuter (3:17)
6. She Didn't Say 'Yes' (3:24)
7. I'm Old Fashioned (3:31)
8. Remind Me (3:53)
9. The Way You Look Tonight (4:30)
10. Yesterdays (2:52)
11. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (3:56)
12. Why Was I Born? (3:45)
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Nelson Riddle
Music By – Jerome Kern
Producer – Norman Granz
The Johnny Mercer Songbook (1964)
Along with her Rodgers and Hart collection, this is one of the best of Ella Fitzgerald's songbooks. Fitzgerald's assured and elegant voice is a perfect match for Mercer's urbane lyrics and Nelson Riddle's supple arrangements. In light of this decorous setting, it's not surprising that Mercer's swagger-heavy numbers like "I Wanna Be Around" and "One More For My Baby" are skipped in favor of more poised selections such as "Early Autumn" and "Skylark." Even traditionally hard-swinging numbers such as "Day In Day Out" and "Something's Gotta Give" are kept in check with Riddle's vaporous, flute-heavy backing and Fitzgerald's velvet tone. Slower numbers like "Laura" and "Midnight Sun" add dramatic contrast with their enigmatic tonal backdrops and elongated vocal phrasing. Fitzgerald's Mercer songbook has become something of an overlooked gem partly because of the popularity of her Cole Porter and Gershwin collections. It's a shame, because this songbook is beautifully executed by Fitzgerald and Riddle and contains wonderful Mercer collaborations with, among others, Harold Arlen and Hoagy Charmichael. This is definitely one for any Fitzgerald fan and not a bad introduction to her vast catalog.
by Stephen Cook
Tracklist:
1. Too Marvelous for Words (2:34)
2. Early Autumn (3:52)
3. Day In-Day Out (2:50)
4. Laura (3:46)
5. This Time the Dream's on Me (2:57)
6. Skylark (3:13)
7. Single-O (3:23)
8. Something's Gotta Give (2:37)
9. Trav'lin' Light (3:51)
10. Midnight Sun (4:58)
11. Dream (When You're Feeling Blue) (3:01)
12. I Remember You (3:41)
13. When a Woman Loves a Man (3:51)
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Nelson Riddle
Music By – Jerome Kern
Producer – Norman Granz
Ella Abraça Jobim :
Sings the Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook (1981)
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.
by Stewart Mason
Tracklist:
1
Dreamer (Vivo Sonhando) 4:54
Antônio Carlos Jobim / George Lees
2
This Love That I've Found (Só Tinha de Ser Com Vocé) 5:16
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
3
The Girl from Ipanema 3:50
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
4
Somewhere in the Hills (Favela) 3:56
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
5
Photograph (Fotografia) 3:48
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim
6
Wave 5:21
Antônio Carlos Jobim
7
Triste 4:06
Antônio Carlos Jobim
8
Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) 5:39
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Gene Lees
9
Water to Drink (Agua de Beber) 2:44
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10
Bonita 2:50
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / George Lees
11
Desafinado (Off Key) 3:41
Jesse Cavanaugh / Jon Hendricks / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
12
He's a Carioca (Ele É Carioca) 5:12
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
13
Dindi 6:36
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
14
How Insensitive (Insensatez) 2:59
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
15
One Note Samba (Samba de Uma Nota Só) 3:52
Jon Hendricks / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
16
A Felicidade 2:17
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
17
Useless Landscape (Inútil Paisagem) 7:59
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar [Solo] – Oscar Castro-Neves
Arranged By, Conductor – Erich Bulling
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Drums – Alex Acuna
Guitar [Rhythm] – Mitch Holder, Oscar Castro-Neves, Paul Jackson, Roland Bautista
Guitar [Solo Electric] – Joe Pass
Harmonica – Toots Thielemans
Keyboards – Clarence McDonald, Mike Lang, Terry Trotter
Percussion, Producer [Associate] – Paulinho Da Costa
Producer, Other [Liner Notes] – Norman Granz
Saxophone [Tenor] – Zoot Sims
Trumpet – Clark Terry
Vocals – Ella Fitzgerald
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
