Ella Fitzgerald recorded 2,000 or so songs during a career that spanned more than 50 years. She debuted with “Love and Kisses” in 1936, then scored her first million-selling hit with her ebullient version of “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” in 1938. Her final album of new material was 1989's “All That Jazz.” Here's a look at five of the most enjoyable of her 200-plus albums:
“Pure Ella” (1950, Verve): A duo outing with svelte pianist Ellis Larkins, this 1994 CD reissue combines her “Ella Sings Gershwin” and “Songs in a Mellow Mood” albums. The intimate setting perfectly suits this ballads-dominated outing, which shows just how well she could transform standards like “Makin' Whoopee” and “How Long Has This Been Going On?” into something quite (if quietly) extraordinary.
“The Complete Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife” (Polygram, 1960): Featuring ex-San Diego pianist Paul Smith and his quartet, this splendid live album was re-released in expanded form in 1993. Fitzgerald shines throughout, and her extended scat solo on “How High the Moon” inspires both smiles and goose bumps.
“The Stockholm Concert, 1966” (Pablo, 1991): Why producer Norman Granz waited 25 years to release this is a mystery, but the fourth and final album Fitzgerald made with Duke Ellington and his orchestra soars from start to finish. Highlights include a sinuous version of Jobim's “So Danco Samba” and a charged remake of Ellington's “Cottontail,” on which she joyously trades fours with sax great Paul Gonsalves.
“The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks” (Polygram, 1993): This 16-CD set compiles all of the songbook albums Fitzgerald recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1964. Some fans prefer her collection of Cole Porter songs; others swear by her Ellington and Gershwin sets. All show her masterful way with a lyric and her unique ability to make classic and obscure gems unmistakably her own.
“The Complete Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong” (Polygram, 1997): This CD box set draws from the three albums she and Satchmo made together for Verve in the 1950s, including “Porgy and Bess.” The magical chemistry between them results in musical alchemy, as even the most familiar songs are transformed into musical gold.
– GEORGE VARGA
