I love a lot of her work, although I’m not particularly interested in her scat singing. I especially loved the Verve songbook albums she did in the 50’s and 60’s, and her duets with Louis Armstrong. Her voice could be cool or warm and deep.
I will say, as much as I loved her style and skill, her phrasing in those American standards was sometimes a little off. There was also often a sense that she didn’t always feel the songs as deeply as some other singers did, or at least she didn’t project that level of feeling. But I am always glad to listen to her work and I’m very grateful she was around to share it with us.
Huge Ella fan here. I saw her perform several times, from the mid 60s until the late 80s. The last time I saw her, she could barely see, or stand without leaning, but the voice and talent were still there. Someone requested “Lady Be Good” as an encore, and she asked “Which one?”, to which I yelled out “Both.” Sure enough, she sang the slow version followed by the fast, to a standing ovation.
More than any other singer, her recordings of the songbooks are the gold standard of the Great American Songbook… even with the flaws. And her live recordings from her many jazz clubs and festivals are special examples of her spontaneity, as well as her duets with Armstrong.
Happy birthday, Ella!
And wow, her 100th is a day after Streisand’s 75th!
The First Lady Of Song. Although I knew her 100th was happening, I didn’t realize it was this past week. Just yesterday I listened to Heat Wave, Preview and Summertime with Louis Armstrong. These plus many others are so sublime.
For something vastly different than her singing, if you haven’t seen the movie Let No Man Write My Epitaph, you should check it out. She plays a junkie.
I was recently introduced to her Live in Berlin record, and it’s quickly become one of my favorites. I particularly dig… Well all of it, but it’s notable for her version of Mac the Knife where she forgets the words, and sings her way through with style and grace.
Let’s not waste a thread. Who else has favorite songs they would like to post?
