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An appearance in Hollywood for a first-rate jazz vocalist was not necessarily an opportunity to broadcast the singer's visage and pander to everyone from Tacoma to Tallahassee. It could also include a date at the Crescendo. The Sunset Strip's best chance to find premier jazz, Gene Norman's nightclub hosted dozens of jazz legends (and a comic or two), and produced more than its share of excellent LPs recorded on location. Better even than Mel Tormé's 1954 classic, the Ella Fitzgerald LP that resulted from her May 1961 appearances generated one of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography. All of her hallmarks -- technical wizardry, breakneck scatting, irrepressible humor and warmth -- are on full display, with a small but expressive quartet backing her performance (including pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, drummer Gus Johnson, and bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks). Although it's full of brilliance, the highlights are clear: a nine-minute scat masterpiece of "Take the 'A' Train," with chorus after chorus of variations, and the shorter but still excellent "Mr. Paganini." (The latter is one of the nods to her early career, along with a set-closing "Air Mail Special.") The balladry is masterful as well, with "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" and "Satin Doll" high on the list. Rarely given a spot on the best LPs of her career, Ella in Hollywood is nonetheless a classic glimpse of Ella at her on-stage best.
© John Bush /TiVo
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Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Allen, ComposerLyricist - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Harold Arlen, Composer - Ted Koehler, Author - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Walter Donaldson, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - Jim Hall, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jule Styne, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Adolph Green, ComposerLyricist - Betty Comden, ComposerLyricist - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Oscar Hammerstein II , Author - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Billy Strayhorn, ComposerLyricist - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Mitchell Parish, ComposerLyricist - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Signorelli, ComposerLyricist - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Matty Malneck, ComposerLyricist - Norman Granz, Producer - Gene Norman, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Sam Coslow, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Duke Ellington, Composer - Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Billy Strayhorn, Composer - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Lorenz Hart, Author - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Clarence Williams, ComposerLyricist - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Warfield , ComposerLyricist - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Charlie Christian, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Benny Goodman, ComposerLyricist - Lou Levy, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Herb Ellis, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Mundy, ComposerLyricist - Norman Granz, Producer - Seth Foster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wilfred Middlebrooks, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
An appearance in Hollywood for a first-rate jazz vocalist was not necessarily an opportunity to broadcast the singer's visage and pander to everyone from Tacoma to Tallahassee. It could also include a date at the Crescendo. The Sunset Strip's best chance to find premier jazz, Gene Norman's nightclub hosted dozens of jazz legends (and a comic or two), and produced more than its share of excellent LPs recorded on location. Better even than Mel Tormé's 1954 classic, the Ella Fitzgerald LP that resulted from her May 1961 appearances generated one of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography. All of her hallmarks -- technical wizardry, breakneck scatting, irrepressible humor and warmth -- are on full display, with a small but expressive quartet backing her performance (including pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, drummer Gus Johnson, and bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks). Although it's full of brilliance, the highlights are clear: a nine-minute scat masterpiece of "Take the 'A' Train," with chorus after chorus of variations, and the shorter but still excellent "Mr. Paganini." (The latter is one of the nods to her early career, along with a set-closing "Air Mail Special.") The balladry is masterful as well, with "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" and "Satin Doll" high on the list. Rarely given a spot on the best LPs of her career, Ella in Hollywood is nonetheless a classic glimpse of Ella at her on-stage best.
© John Bush /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:47:07
- Main artists: Ella Fitzgerald
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Verve Reissues
- Genre: Jazz Vocal Jazz
© 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2009 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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