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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.
© Stephen Cook /TiVo
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Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Richard A. Whiting, ComposerLyricist - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ralph Burns, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Rube Bloom, ComposerLyricist - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - NELSON RIDDLE, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - David Raksin, ComposerLyricist - Paul Smith, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Willie Smith, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer - Buddy DeFranco, Clarinet, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Flynn, Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - Harold Arlen, Composer - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - HOAGY CARMICHAEL, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer - Graeme Lyall, Arranger, Work Arranger
℗ 1964 Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - Gus Kahn, Author - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Mundy, Composer - James Oliver "Trummy" Young, Composer - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - SONNY BURKE, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Lionel Hampton, ComposerLyricist - Paul Smith, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Willie Smith, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer - Buddy DeFranco, Clarinet, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Flynn, Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Ella Fitzgerald, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Victor Schertzinger, Composer - NELSON RIDDLE, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Ella Fitzgerald, MainArtist - Bernie Hanighen, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Gordon Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Val Valentin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Norman Granz, Producer
℗ 1964 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
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.
© Stephen Cook /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:44:19
- Main artists: Ella Fitzgerald
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Verve
- Genre: Jazz Vocal Jazz
© 1964 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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