which ella fitzgerald should i buy first

[Jeff16years]

I'm lloking for a really great ella fitzgerald cd to buy. I mean great as in a great example of her music (not for recording quality, you have to specify that around here

i've always lover her voice and that kind of music but have never purchased.

thanks
-Jeff

[themaidsroom]

on the sunny side of the street
ella with the count basie band
it just so happens that one of the best records in
the world was also extremely well recorded
don't know where
don't know when
but it is beautiful
hard to beat ella with basie




be well

- jack

[Mr. PC]

I really like "Pure Ella". It is a Decca reissue of the album "Ella Sings Gershwin" with 12 more songs as well.

What I like is that the whole CD is just with her and Ellis Larkins on the piano. It makes for an intimate and up-close Ella.

PC

[ktf]

I love the stuff she did with Louis Armstrong. Early=better in my book.

[themaidsroom]

Originally Posted by Mr. PC

I really like "Pure Ella". It is a Decca reissue of the album "Ella Sings Gershwin" with 12 more songs as well.

What I like is that the whole CD is just with her and Ellis Larkins on the piano. It makes for an intimate and up-close Ella.

PC

this is a great record

[lane thaw]

Originally Posted by ktf

I love the stuff she did with Louis Armstrong. Early=better in my book.

Got this double CD of Louis and Ella - never gets old and the recording quality answers any question about recording quality back in the old days.

[Santiago]

Myself I am a fan of her songbook series (Cole Porter songbook, Gershwin Songbook, etc...) Apparently these were engineered by Val Valentine, who also engineered and mixed the Velvet underground's 3rd album (which sounds great as well).

Santiago

[wanderlust8]

+1 on the songbook series... there are 'best of' of them i believe which may help give some basics, but i don't think any will dissapoint you....

[DeBasement]

+2 on the songbook series, my faves being the Irving Berlin and Gershwin volumes. Must haves. (I'm not a big Cole Porter fan, scandalous though that may be).

And don't buy the live late-70's album where even Ella proves she's fallible by singing a downright embarrassing version of Cream's 'Sunshine of Our Love'. tutt I used to throw that on mix-tapes just to weird people out.

Ella & Louis together is also great. But less of a showcase for Ella's own genius than the songbook stuff.

--

related listening: Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, and early Peggy Lee. (Billy Holiday goes without saying... oops, I said it. My bad)

[88fingerz]

She's the greatest female vocalist of all time. Peggy Lee is right behind her.

[themaidsroom]

she is pretty great - freakish to see live tv footage - she has no peer in this
generation

like the warning above, i would also add to steer clear of the jobim ella collaboration -
while it worked wonders for sinatra, it is a bit flat with ella


"get happy" is a great verve compilation


be well


- jack

[bashville]

Later in her career (early '70's?) she made a series of duet recordings with Joe Pass that are just stellar. They just show what a master interpreter (and re-inventor) of songs she was. I'm partial to the ones where Joe is on nylon string guitar. "Again" is the name of one, there are others. Also Joe shows why he's one of the best guitarists in the world, often included in those tours with Paco DeLucia, John McLaughlin, and Leo Kottke.

Also another vote for the Louis and Ella double-album on Verve. I prefer her melodic reinventions more than the skippedy-bop stuff.

[Mr. PC]

Originally Posted by 88fingerz

She's the greatest female vocalist of all time. Peggy Lee is right behind her.

What about Patsy Cline?

I will admit I have not heard that much of Peggy Lee, but I consider Patsy to be Top Shelf as far as vocalists go.


PC

[themaidsroom]

thank god there is patsy and ella.......

i am listening to a new analog vinyl pressing of ella and louis - what a great record -
what a great singer - what an instrument - ella and louis is a great place to start.....



be well

- jack

[Petimar]

I really like the Ella sings Duke Ellington Songbook disks. The Ella - Louis stuff is terrific as well.

[Lownotes]

Check out the three disc set "The First Lady of Song". Great collection with very nice sound!

Amazon.com: The First Lady of Song: Music: Ella Fitzgerald