Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Rockin' in Rhythm
2. Drop Me off in Harlem
3. Day Dream
4. Caravan
5. Take the 'A' Train
6. I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues
7. Clementine
8. I Didn't Know About You
9. I'm Beginning to See the Light
10. Lost in Meditation
11. Perdido
12. Cotton Tail
13. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
14. Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'
15. Solitude
16. Rocks in My Bed
17. Satin Doll
18. Sophisticated Lady

Disc 2:

1. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
2. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
3. Azure
4. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart
5. In a Sentimental Mood
6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
7. Prelude to a Kiss
8. Mood Indigo
9. In a Mellow Tone
10. Love You Madly
11. Lush Life
12. Squatty Roo
13. I'm Just a Lucky So-And-So
14. All Too Soon
15. Everything But You
16. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
17. Bli-Blip

Disc 3:

1. Chelsea Bridge
2. Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald
3. E and D Blues (E for Ella, D for Duke)
4. Chelsea Bridge [Take 1, Rehearsal]
5. Chelsea Bridge [Take 2, Rehearsal]
6. Chelsea Bridge [Take 3, Rehearsal]
7. Chelsea Bridge [Take 4, Rehearsal]
8. Chelsea Bridge [Take 5, Rehearsal]
9. Chelsea Bridge [Take 6, Rehearsal]
10. Chelsea Bridge [Take 7, Rehearsal]
11. Chelsea Bridge [Take 8, Rehearsal]
12. All Heart
13. All Heart [Take 1, Complete Take]
14. All Heart [Take 2, Complete Take]
15. All Heart [Take 3, Complete Take]
16. Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald: Introduction [Various Takes]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42165 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-23
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered

Album Description
The complete Ella Fitzgerald vocal sides from the celebrated 2-double LP set presenting her singing the music of Duke Ellington. The first CD of our edition contains the complete small group sides including Ben Webster, while the second has all of the big band numbers. Includes 16-page booklet

Amazon.com essential recording
While legends such as Billie Holiday and Count Basie made their greatest impact with visceral, blues-soaked statements, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington succeeded by lending their work unmatched grace and precision. This is a roundabout way of saying that no one is better suited to interpret the Duke than Ella, and the evidence is contained within these three CDs. Discs 1 and 3, recorded in June 1957, feature the support of the full Ellington band and are a complete joy, from Fitzgerald's terrific scat vocal on "Rockin' in Rhythm" through the extended four-part suite "Portrait of Ella Fitzgerlad," which adds Ellington's spoken observations and Billy Strayhorn's piano accents. However, the real highlight is the middle disc, recorded in the fall of that year, which finds Ella fronting a small band boasting Ellington's former tenor star Ben Webster. Most of this disc includes wonderful violin from Stuff Smith and supple guitar from Barney Kessel; the remaining cuts feature Oscar Peterson's trio. Of particular note are the three warming Ella-Kessel duets and the consistently charming work of Webster. By combining big-band and small-band sides, this collection emphasizes the flexibility of both Ellington's songs and Fitzgerald's interpretive powers. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

20th Century musical gem with Ella and Duke at their best
Here's a newsflash:

1957: Ella Fitzgerald, jazz's best singer, records the songs of Duke Ellington, jazz's best composer. Duke and Ella never sound better. His orchestra is at its most elegant yet at its most swinging, her voice's is in its best form, so harmonically, rhythmically, and tonally sophisticated. Jazz's greatest event is happening. It is "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook," and it is too great to let pass you by.

Alright, this is all true. With Duke's big band behind her, Ella was divine. She was even classier with his suberb small groups. Most of all, it showed both of their eclecticism. Duke was still overlapping rhythms, harmonies, tones, and different musical styles to their most mesmerizing effect. Ella was at her career peak at Verve Records. And for the record: Any of the songwriters she covered in the classic Songbook Series never sounded as awesome. She's the glue that provokes the Ellington Orchestra to outdo themselves once again. Their repertoire of jungle music, unique swing songs, lesser known songs, and more experimental songs is covered, and Ella fits these songs like a lace glove. Part of her incredible genius is her ability to adapt any type of music to her ebullient voice. (On the video of PBS's American Masters special about Ella, listen to her short takes on country and soul in a London Club. Dang!)

In comparison to the rest of Ella's stellar career: "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook" is her peak. It is the centerpiece in her career's greatest period at Verve Records and the landmark Songbook Series. Of all of them, it's the most jazz-oriented. All of her Songbook albums are first-rate, yet this is the best.

And it's also a taste of heaven, too good to let pass you by when you're alive. Get it now.

And hey, Chick Webb's orchestra was one of swing's greatest bands, but what if she had spent a part of her career in Duke's orchestra? That might have been even better. And even she didn't, isn't this album more than enough?

Rockin' In Rhythm...
I listened to the first track, Rockin' In Rhythm five or six times before going onto the second track; and experienced the delight of discovering something truly good and remarkable from two artists, about whom I thought I knew everything good and remarkable. Back in the 1970's I collected Ella songbooks on vinyl (Gershwin, Porter, Rogers & Hart), but never got around to the Ellington collection. How fortunate that I inadvertently saved this little gem for a rainy day. Listening to it is like discovering Ellington and Ella anew. Except with the added appreciation of a fan. I would never tire of Rockin' In Rhythm, so reliable a source of joy it is...my soul smiles for the privilege to witness this collaboration.

A gathering of geniuses
A piece of jazz heaven... The level of talent on this set is staggering. Ella is brilliant, for one. Then add in Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn and the band, all in great form. Then add a small ensemble that includes Oscar Peterson and Ben Webster. Yikes! Best of all, the pieces fit together beautifully.

Years ago I had the big-band material on LP, which I treasured until someone borrowed it for good. Just getting that music back in excellent-sounding CD was a treat, but the addition of the small group material was a wonderful bonus.

The set also includes some rehearsals and alternate takes. It's fascinating to hear Ella working out a part. She didn't do everything perfectly the first time -- it just seems that way!

This is an embarrassment of riches. Highly recommended.