Ella has so much that is so good. Is there any way to narrow it down? I'm wondering whether there is a definitive collection I should buy or burn. I just finished Pure Ella, with 12 Gershwin songs, fabulous. I'll definitely need that burned before it goes back to the library.
Posts: 1197 | Location: Connecticut, USA | Registered: 06-04-02
This one seems like a good compilation. It's called Something to Live For. From the allmusic review, it says this album comes the closest of suming up her work. It says it's "the first album to span the two most important eras of her recordings, the Decca years, 1935-1955, and the Verve years, 1956-1966." It's two discs. Seems pretty thorough.
Posts: 6499 | Location: Grayson, Georgia, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
My favorite Ella recordings are the one she made with guitarist Joe Pass[only] and the other with pianist Ellis Larkin[only],the Larkin sides were mostly Gershwin tunes as I remember.Both are hard to find ,but well worth the effort.Both show Ella at her most intimate best. Hippolips
I know this is late on this post but I have been gone for a while. If you are still around Velvet Voice, you really should get her CD's singing just the Cole Porter songbook. I even liked those selections better than 'Pure Ella', which are very fine too.
I just have to post to say I agree with this. Not that I've heard the CD mind - my own "Cole Porter Songbook" collection is on vinyl ... Anyway, there I was last weekend, painting the ceiling and listening to the hi-fi when I chanced upon Ella's C.P.S. - a true gem of the recording arts if ever there was one. Fabulous. But here's a question. Why on earth is it that after fifty years some tracks sound as fresh as this morning's sunrise while others appear "dated" - for all the undoubted mastery of Ella "and her fellas"?
Posts: 804 | Location: Paris | Registered: 04-28-03
Hi alongside with my website about Ella (Ella Fitzgerald Website) I've opened a new forum about Ella to discuss her music, her talent, her albums, and so on!
