Ella Fitzgerald - Pure Ella

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Free Music Notes for Pure Ella

Free Music Review: This Fella Loves Ella
Hit: 5 Stars

Her singing is pure joy. She never strains or manipulates her vocal chords to produce that gorgeous, rich voice that just melts your heart out. The ease and beauty with which she sings, frankly, makes me question her humanity.

If you want the best of Ella Fitzgerald, THIS CD is it. It is the premiere comprehensive single-CD sampling of her career. The recording features some of her best collaborations with arrangers (Nelson Riddle, Billy May, etc.) and performers (Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie.)

The musical selections are excellent. The Verve label has chosen a balance of 9 high-energy swing numbers and 9 romantic ballads.

Some remarkable swingers are MACK THE KNIFE, a live recording in Berlin (1960) where she blanks out on a verse and has to improvise. I'm smiling thinking about it. Another is HOW HIGH THE MOON, in which she scats incredibly for about 6 minutes. Throughout the rendition she adds (and revises) brief tidbits of random American standard songs, like SMOKE GETS IN YOU EYES: "They ask me how I knew my true love was true/ I have course replied, 'Something here inside...SWEAT gets in my eyes!" Ella enjoys entertaining while she sings, and her infectious interpretations pull the listener in; especially on the 5 live recordings on this CD, where one finds himself laughing along with the audience at times.

Stunning ballads include MISTY (with her musically sensitive accompanist Paul Smith). Wow! Her lyricism, intonations, and diction are impeccable. Here she sings in a hushed soft fashion that is like she's whispering in your ear. SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW features its great, not often-heard verse, and such sincere, expressive singing.

Buy this now. Ella will really impress you!

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