20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Ella Fitzgerald &

Performer: Ella Fitzgerald
Producer: Richard Seidel (Compilation); Harry Weinger (Compilation)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Since the introduction of the compact disc, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's musical collaborations have been anthologized on more than twenty different albums. Released during the summer of 2007, this Verve Millenium Collection contains only ten tracks but covers a wider-than-average time span by including two numbers that were recorded long before the famous and often reissued Ella & Louis sessions of 1956 and 1957. "The Frim Fram Sauce" comes from a Decca date that took place on January 18, 1946, with accompaniment by an orchestra under the leadership of bassist Bob Haggart. "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was also waxed for Decca, on August 25, 1950, with Sy Oliver leading the band. The rest of these delightful duets were gathered from four different Verve sessions supervised by Norman Granz between August 16, 1956 and August 18, 1957. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong blended beautifully, and this mini-history of their collaborative artistic relationship should encourage closer inspection and further exploration of their combined discographies. ~ arwulf arwulf

Through unparalleled ability and judicious choice of repertoire, Ella Fitzgerald became the foremost female interpreter of the 20th-century Great American Popular Song Book. With producer Norman Granz she worked on the "songbook" series, placing on record definitive performances of the work of America's leading songwriters. Fitzgerald had a wide vocal range, but her voice retained a youthful, light vibrancy throughout the greater part of her career, bringing a fresh and appealing quality to most of her material, especially her scat singing. While there are still numerous excellent artists whose work has been strongly influenced by Fitzgerald, the social and artistic conditions that helped to create America's First Lady of Song no longer exist, and it seems highly unlikely that we shall ever see or hear her like again.

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