Tag Archives: Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Swings Lightly

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In December 1958, “Verve” label released “Ella Swings Lightly”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded in November 1958, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Granz. This album won Ella Fitzgerald the 1960 Grammy award for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald – vocal
  • Marty Paich’s Dek-Tette: Bud Shank – alto saxophone 
  • Bill Holman – tenor saxophone
  • Med Flory – baritone saxophone 
  • Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Bob Enevoldsen – valve trombone, tenor saxophone 
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Lou Levy  – piano
  • Joe Mondragon – bass 
  • Mel Lewis – drums 

Track listing:

  1. Little White Lies – Walter Donaldson
  2. You Hit the Spot – Mack Gordon, Harry Revel
  3. What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? – Jack Lawrence, Paul Francis Webster, Mary Lou Williams
  4. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
  5. As Long as I Live – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  6. Teardrops from My Eyes – Rudy Toombs
  7. Gotta Be This or That – Sunny Skylar
  8. Moonlight on the Ganges – Sherman Myers, Chester Wallace
  9. My Kinda Love – Louis Alter, Jo Trent
  10. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  11. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  12. You’re an Old Smoothie – Nacio Herb Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Richard A. Whiting
  13. Little Jazz – Roy Eldridge, Buster Harding
  14. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me – Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Peter Norman
  15. Knock Me a Kiss – Mike Jackson
  16. 720 in the Books – Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Leo Watson

Ella Fitzgerald And Duke Ellington: Ella At Duke’s Place

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In December 1965, “Verve” label released “Ella at Duke’s Place”, album by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. It was recorded in October 1965, at “United Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald – vocals
  • Duke Ellington – piano, conductor, arrangements
  • Jimmy Jones – arrangements
  • Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
  • Russell Procope – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Cat Anderson – trumpet
  • Mercer Ellington – trumpet
  • Herb Jones – trumpet
  • Cootie Williams – trumpet
  • Lawrence Brown – trombone
  • Buster Cooper – trombone
  • Chuck Connors – bass trombone
  • John Lamb – bass
  • Louis Bellson – drums
  • Val Valentin – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.

  1. Something to Live For – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
  2. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing – Billy Strayhorn
  3. Passion Flower – Billy Strayhorn
  4. I Like the Sunrise
  5. Azure – Irving Mills
  6. Imagine My Frustration – Billy Strayhorn, Gerald Stanley Wilson
  7. Duke’s Place – Bill Katz, Ruth Roberts, Bob Thiele
  8. Brown-skin Gal (in the Calico Gown) – Paul Francis Webster
  9. What Am I Here For? – Frankie Laine
  10. Cotton Tail

Shirley Scott: Roll ‘Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands

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In August 1966, “Impulse!” label released “Roll ‘Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands”, the 30th Shirley Scott album. It was recorded in April 1966, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Shirley Scott – organ
  • Oliver Nelson – arrangements, conductor 
  • Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods – alto saxophone 
  • Bob Ashton, Jerome Richardson – tenor saxophone
  • Danny Bank – baritone saxophone 
  • Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Jimmy Nottingham, Ernie Royal, Clark Terry – trumpet 
  • Quentin Jackson, Melba Liston, Tom McIntosh – trombone 
  • Paul Faulise – bass trombone
  • Attila Zoller – guitar 
  • Richard Davis, George Duvivier – double bass
  • Ed Shaughnessy, Grady Tate – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Roll ‘Em – Mary Lou Williams
  2. For Dancers Only – Don Raye, Sy Oliver, Vic Schoen
  3. Sophisticated Swing – William Hudson, Mitchell Parish
  4. Sometimes I’m Happy – Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
  5. Little Brown Jug – Joseph Winner
  6. Stompin’ at the Savoy – Edgar Sampson
  7. Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Thomas “Fats” Waller, Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf
  8. A-Tisket, A-Tasket – Van Alexander, Ella Fitzgerald
  9. Things Ain’t What They Used to Be – Mercer Ellington
  10. Tippin’ In – Robert Smith, Marty Symes

Oscar Peterson: A Tribute To My Friends

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In December 1983, “Pablo” label released “A Tribute to My Friends”, the 183rd Oscar Peterson album. It was recorded in November 1983, at “Fantasy Studios” in Berkeley, California, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Oscar Peterson – piano
  • Joe Pass – guitar
  • Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – double bass
  • Martin Drew – drums
  • Phil Edwards – engineer
  • Joe Gastwirt – lacquer cut
  • Sheldon Marks – layout, design
  • Norman Granz – layout, design, liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Blueberry Hill – Vincent Rose, Al Lewis, Larry Stock
  2. Sometimes I’m Happy (Sometimes I’m Blue) – Clifford Grey, Leo Robin, Vincent Youmans
  3. Stuffy – Coleman Hawkins
  4. Birk’s Works – Dizzy Gillespie
  5. Cotton Tail – Duke Ellington
  6. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?) – Jimmy Davis, Roger (“Ram”) Ramirez, James Sherman
  7. A-Tisket, A-Tasket – Van Alexander, Ella Fitzgerald
  8. Rockin’ Chair – Hoagy Carmichael
  9. Now’s the Time – Charlie Parker

Michael Lang

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On August 5, 2022, Michael Anthony Lang died aged 80. He was musician (piano, keyboards, organ, synthesizer) and composer, recorded more than 2500 film scores, and worked with some of the biggest names of modern music such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Vince Gill, Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Arturo Sandoval, Josh Groban, Frank Zappa, Lee Ritenour, Oliver Nelson, Bud Shank, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Peggy Lee, Vanessa Williams, Jose Feliciano, Bette Midler, Russell Watson, Michael Bolton, Don Ellis, Robbie Williams, Paul Anka, Sarah Vaughan, Amy Grant, Willie Nelson, Natalie Cole, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond, Shelly Manne and Stan Kenton.  

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: Ella and Louis

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In October 1956, “Verve” label released “Ella and Louis”, a studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet. It was recorded in August 1956, at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
  • Louis Armstrong– vocals, trumpet
  • Oscar Peterson– piano
  • Herb Ellis– guitar
  • Ray Brown– bass
  • Buddy Rich– drums
  • Val Valentin – engineer
  • Phil Stern – photography

Track listing:

  1. Can’t We Be Friends? – Paul James, Kay Swift
  2. Isn’t This a Lovely Day? – Irving Berlin
  3. Moonlight in Vermont – John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf
  4. They Can’t Take That Away from Me – Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
  5. Under a Blanket of Blue – Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes
  6. Tenderly – Walter Gross, Jack Lawrence
  7. A Foggy Day – Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
  8. Stars Fell on Alabama – Mitchell Parish, Frank Perkins
  9. Cheek to Cheek – Irving Berlin
  10. The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
  11. April in Paris – Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg

Ella Fitzgerald: Classy Pair

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In June 1979, “Pablo” label released “Classy Pair”, the 50th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded in February 1979 and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals

The Count Basie Orchestra

  • Count Basie– piano
  • Ray Brown– trumpet
  • Sonny Cohn– trumpet
  • Pete Minger– trumpet
  • Nolan Andrew Smith– trumpet
  • Bill Hughes– trombone
  • Mel Wanzo– trombone
  • Dennis Wilson– trombone
  • Mitchell “Booty” Wood– trombone
  • Bobby Plater– alto saxophone
  • Danny Turner– alto saxophone
  • Eric Dixon– tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Hing– tenor saxophone
  • Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • John Clayton– double bass
  • Butch Miles– drums
  • Benny Carter– arranger, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  2. My Kind of Trouble is You – Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort II
  3. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul
  4. Organ Grinder’s Swing – Will Hudson, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
  5. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  6. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – George Bassman, Ned Washington
  7. Ain’t Misbehavin – Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  8. Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ – Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines, Billy Strayhorn
  9. Sweet Lorraine – Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish

Ella Fitzgerald: These are the Blues

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In December 1963, “Verve” label released “These are the Blues”, the 30th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded October 28 – 29, 1963, at “A&R Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald- vocals
  • Roy Eldridge- trumpet
  • Wild Bill Davis- electronic organ
  • Herb Ellis- guitar
  • Ray Brown- double bass
  • Gus Johnson- drums

Track listing:

  1. Jailhouse Blues – Bessie Smith, Clarence Williams
  2. In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down) – Leroy Carr, Don Raye
  3. See See Rider – Ma Rainey
  4. You Don’t Know My Mind – Gray, Virginia Liston, Williams
  5. Trouble in Mind – Richard M. Jones
  6. How Long, How Long Blues – Leroy Carr
  7. Cherry Red – Pete Johnson, Big Joe Turner
  8. Downhearted Blues – Lovie Austin, Alberta Hunter
  9. Louis Blues – W. C. Handy
  10. Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya – Louis Armstrong

Dee Dee Bridgewater: Dear Ella

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On September 30, 1997, “Verve” label released “Dear Ella”, the eleventh Dee Dee Bridgewater studio album. It was recorded January – February 1997.  At the 40th Grammy Awards, the album won Bridgewater the “Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album” and Slide Hampton the “Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist”, for the arrangement of “Cotton Tail”.

Personnel:

  • Dee Dee Bridgewater– vocals
  • Cecil Bridgewater– trumpet, arranger, conductor
  • Antonio Hart– alto saxophone, soloist
  • Jeff Clayton– alto saxophone
  • Teodross Avery– tenor saxophone
  • Bill Easley– tenor saxophone
  • Patience Higgins – baritone saxophone
  • Virgil Jones – trumpet, horn, soloist
  • Byron Stripling– trumpet
  • Ron Tooley – trumpet
  • Diego Urcola – trumpet
  • Slide Hampton– trombone, arranger, conductor
  • Clarence Banks – trombone, horn, soloist
  • Benny Powell– trombone
  • Robert Trowers– trombone
  • Douglas Purviance– bass trombone
  • Robert Lloyd – horn
  • Anderson – tuba
  • Taylor – flute
  • Jowitt – clarinet
  • Wallbank – bass clarinet
  • J. Morgan – oboe
  • Lou Levy– piano, arranger
  • Milt Jackson– vibraphone
  • Kenny Burrell– guitar, arranger
  • Ray Brown– double bass
  • Grady Tate– drums
  • André Ceccarelli– drums
  • Hakin – percussion
  • Boguslaw Kostecki, A. Noland, T. Williams, R. Wilson – violin
  • Graham and G. Jackson – viola
  • Peter Willison – cello
  • John Clayton – big band arranger, conductor
  • Rob Eaton, Keith Grant, Al Schmitt– engineer
  • Peter Doell, Koji Egawa, Brian Garten, Alex Marcou – engineer assistant
  • Jean Luc Barilla – design
  • Philippe Pierangeli – photography

Track listing:

  1. A-Tisket, A-Tasket – Van Alexander, Ella Fitzgerald
  2. Mack the Knife – Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
  3. Undecided – Leo Robin, Charlie Shavers
  4. Midnight Sun – Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Mercer
  5. Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love – Cole Porter
  6. How High the Moon – Morgan Hamilton, Nancy Lewis
  7. (If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini) – Sam Coslow
  8. Cotton Tail – Duke Ellington
  9. My Heart Belongs to Daddy – Cole Porter
  10. (I’d Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China – Frank Loesser
  11. Oh, Lady be Good! – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  12. Stairway to the Stars — Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli
  13. Dear Ella – Kenny Burrell

Ella Fitzgerald: Hello, Dolly

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In July 1964, “Verve” label released “Hello, Dolly!”, the 40th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded March – April 1964, in New York City and London,  and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald- vocals
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • Zoot Sims- tenor saxophone
  • Frank DeVol- arrangements, conductor
  • Henri René- arrangements
  • Johnnie Spence– conductor

Track listing:

  1. Hello Dolly! – Jerry Herman
  2. People – Bob Merrill, Jule Styne
  3. Can’t Buy Me Love – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  4. The Sweetest Sounds – Richard Rodgers
  5. Miss Otis Regrets – Cole Porter
  6. My Man – Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain
  7. How High the Moon – Nancy Hamilton, Morgan Lewis
  8. Volare – Franco Migliacci, Domenico Modugno, Mitchell Parish
  9. The Thrill is Gone – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
  10. Memories of You – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
  11. Lullaby of the Leaves – Bernice Petkere, Joe Young
  12. Pete Kelly’s Blues – Sammy Cahn, Ray Heindorf

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