'I Never Knew How Good Our Songs Were Until I Heard Ella Sing Them' (Ira Gershwin)
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)I was listening to some Ella this morning - 'Manhattan' - and understood it just couldn't be sung any better - differently yes but not better.
This first lady of song molds every single musical phrase and lyric so that the combination is totally meaningful and individual and never musically commonplace.
So I needed to post a couple of songs!
'Every Time You Say Goodbye' (London, 1965) ...
Ella Fitzgerald 'Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered' ('The Nat 'King' Cole Show', 1960s) ...
Did Anyone hear her live?
And can say what the experience was like?
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Yes, many times. She was better in person. Her range was phenomenal, and style very approachable. She set the standard - one not yet reached again I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteSarah Vaughn was as good, though in a different way. Her "Send In The Clowns" was incredible.
hey anon
ReplyDeletelucky you!
i listen and am mezmerised - over and over
and i'm not one to be carried away easily
each seems the classic interpretation - tho as we agree there are others
i imagine she was better live - apart from anything else she interacts to well with an audience - so self-effacing and funny and down-to-earth
i'm off to google Sarah Vaughn's 'Send In The Clowns'!
thanks
nick
Twice. When I was living in S.F., I took my visiting folks to see Ella at the famed Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel. In the audience was Bing Crosby and he joined Ella for one song. A few years later, I attended Ella's concert at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. I still vividly remember her belting out "Hey Jude". Yikes, that does date me!
ReplyDeleteYes, really lucky those who had the opportunity of watching her live! I'm in love with her and her amazing voice that always mesmerize me. I believe that "Misty" and "Angel Eyes" are two good examples that there are things destined to people; nobody could never sing those in a even way, they are for her to sing (and us to listen) and no one else.
ReplyDeleteLove this blog, thanks!
yes, also Sarah Vaughn and also Carmen McRae - three ladies of incredible talent with the ability to communicate lyrics right straight into your heart - what a shame that Ella had such terrible health toward the end - so sad - she was one of a kind and irreplaceable
ReplyDeletehey lucio
ReplyDeleteyes, i came across those two songs - it's hard to find one of hers that's not exceptional in some - they seem to have that 'just right' feel about them
my parents saw her when i was a kid but sadly didn't think we were old enough to enjoy the performance - they may just have wanted a break from looking after us too - very justifiable!
thanks for the appreciation - much appreciated! really
hey anon
ReplyDeletei guess the key (one of) to being a really great singer is to put your stamp on something that others imagine has no more possibilities
thanks for the URL - off to check it out!
cya
nick
hey anon
ReplyDeletedidn't know about her health issues - she seemed to just press on without complaining - which adds to her greatness
cya
nick
hey jackscribe
ReplyDeletegood to hear from you
i've officially reached my envy quotient for the day - LOL
i've read other singers would see her - like going to have a music lesson!
i mentioned that my parents saw/heard her - but left us home with the sitter - such is life! so close so far
we all have a date that dates us and i hope we're all proud of the one we have!
let's keep in touch
nick
re Ella's health - diabetic problems plus during the last 10 years she had a heart attack and quintuple bypass and lost both legs to diabetic complications - very sad way to go
ReplyDeletehey anon
ReplyDeletesarah bernhardt had the same problem with diabetes and lost her legs too - the older footage shows her leaning against things to be upright
sad to hear this about ella, very
I saw Ella live at Forrest Hills Tennis Stadium in the early 70's. Rain came down in buckets during the intermission: not a drop fell during the performance...she was truly blessed, as were we who had the privilege of seeing her live. It doesn't get better than that. So thankful to have the recordings.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the videos.
hey anon
ReplyDeletelucky to have missed the downpour!
and to have seen/heard Ella
never lire of listening to the songs i posted - and the rest - 'manhattan' is another all-time fav - it's the way she phrases the lyrics, breaking up words at the end of lines that's magic
take care
nick
I never heard her live, but was exposed through recordings as my father played in a jazz band. Now I live on U St in Washington DC, where Duke Ellington was born and where Ella won a talent contest at the now defunct Howard Theatre (I'll have to take a pic of it so you can see how really defunct it is!), but Ella is often mentioned as one of the doyennes of the U St jazz scent - it still goes on, in every little basement bar - someone unknown will get up and sing - it's all free, all spontaneous, so even tho we can't hear her, the place and the people keep the tradition going.
ReplyDeletehey trevors2u
ReplyDeletei love that free spontaneous all welcome venue like U St
when i was last in LA i went to a bar on santa monica blvde and there were people getting up and singing and one latino guy just blew the crowd away with a jazz version of 'over the rainbow' - started traditionally ... and then fireworks
so good we left so the memory wouldn't be disturbed!
good to hear from you
take care
nick
That reminds me, every Friday night at the Duplex Bar in Greenwich village in New York, there is a sophisticated "karaoke" dedicated to Stephen Sondheim.... actors/singers (and wannabe actors/singers) heading home from the Broadway shows, stop off and sing with professional piano accompaniment. One night I was there and Terry White (she was the bartender!) sang Summertime without a mike and blew the house away.... btw, thanks for all your posts - I'm a BIG fan (use all the meanings of BIG) Love Trevor
ReplyDeletehey trevors2u
ReplyDeletewe've had venues like that here in sydney ... and i've come across them in manila in the philippines - what's so great (for a common and garden variety audience member particularly) is that you never know who'll drop in and sing - and bring the house down!
very pleased you're enjoying yhe posts - love nick
I am from Germany. I saw Ella many times live -10 or 12 times....And each concert was something special.
ReplyDeleteFirst I saw her , ( very young LOL! 1967 - last time in Cologne 1990. Ella will be for ever my favorite singer, beside Barbra Streisand.
If I listen her after a while, any time I am surprised, how good Ella is. The expression of her voice is unique. The phraise about her can never be enough!!!
!971 I got a signature from her.
She was such a heartful, wonderful woman and person. There will be never a singer like her.
Thanks for the videos, and for these great site.
Werner
hey werner
ReplyDeletegood to hear from you!
10-12 times for ella - you were very lucky
i lived in europe for the first time for nearly 5 years as a teenager and in another way saw so many great performances - from herbert von karajan and the berlin phil who came to do beethoven's 4th and 5th symphonies to marlene deitrich doing her one-woman show
and i can listen to ella endlessly - and do - the way she sings a song always seems the only way to do it, tho of course it can be done any number of others ways
be in touch
best
nick
Ken Burns' documentary Jazz treated Ella very well. Lot's of archival and early footage. She has been a favorite of mine for about 15 years.
ReplyDeletehey sir's boy
ReplyDeletethanks for the pointer to Ken Burn's doco - will search it out!