Customer Reviews

All That Jazz

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sad to say, this was the last CD of new material released in Ella's lifetime and it probably should have stayed in the can. Despite the best efforts of the players, Ella simply wasn't to up making this record, which is the only one she made after her open-heart surgery in 1986.

She's at her best on the scat features "When Your Lover Has Gone," "All That Jazz" and "Little Jazz" when she doesn't have to work so hard to deliver the lyrics. But the version of "The Jersey Bounce" is almost painful to listen to compared to the one on "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!" nearly 30 years earlier. It's also hard to listen to her struggle through "The Nearness of You" and "Dream a Little Dream," though producer Norman Granz did deserve credit for getting her to attempt the seldom sung "Baby Don't You Quit Now."

The record, which won a Grammy, is interesting mostly for the contributions of an all-star group of supporting players: Kenny Barron, Sweets Edison, Al Grey, Ray Brown, Clark Terry and others. The cover drawing represented an advancement over the usual run of out-of-focus, black-and-white photographs favored by Granz during Ella's Pablo career.

But virtually anything else in Ella's voluminous catalog will be far more rewarding than this weak conclusion to the recording career of arguably America's greatest female singer.

I love this album. I think its Ella's second last album. The sound is perfect, punchy, smashing, and fully digital. Ella's voice is much, much older than what you hear from her in the 50s and 60s, but there is something magical about it. And the band is just stunning. I'm so glad she recorded music right until the end. My favorite track is Dream A Little Dream Of Me, but its all great.

I can't say I don't like this CD - I love Ella, songs are well selected, the players - Clark Terry, Harry Edison, Benny Carter and Al Grey - are in more than good shape in spite of their advancing age, rhythm sections are excellent, arragenments are appropriate and swinging (Ray Brown, who plays bass, is responsible for musical side of organization, while Norman Granz arranged the date as such)...
However, the remnants of Ella's voice are sad to hear, even her rhythmical agility has gone.

I planned to give it three stars as an acknowledgment of fine supporting players (and, naturally, for sentimental reasons), but I cannot do so in the context of exaggurated praise of other rewiewers.
This is strictly for fans of Ella's back-up musicians and for us uncritical jazz fans.
Quite an unfortunate ending to an unique career.

Ok, so we all get older....that's life!
And maybe Ella's voice isn't as powerful as it is on "Twelve Nights in Hollywood".
But it's still beautiful and sweet and true.
This recording is a must for Ella Fitzgerald fans - for the music and for the absolutely terrific cover (based on a photograph by long-time Fitzgerald friend James Blackman).
Buy it - you'll be happy.

Miss Fitzgerld's official last recording was wonderful, she may have not had the exact same voice as she had in the 1950's, but her joyous phrasing and pure voice uplift some old standards. It is a joy to hear Ella's last recordings, she really went out on top... backed by some fine jazz musicians. This is not just historical(her last record)music, it's some really great jazz singing. Recommended to any serious jazz collector and Ella Fitzgerald fan.

This was the last official release from the 'First Lady of Song'!(although she did start recording a new cd as of 1992 that wasn't released). Ella's voice had clearly deepened but her skills were still intact!! I love this cd, and i miss this lady so much!!!

This is one of Ella's best albums recorded for the Norman Granz Pablo label. Ella sings jazz standards with great jazz musicians, and her voice had more feeling and emotion then when she was younger. This is one of my all time favorite CD's. Buy it today you'll be glad you did. As Mel Torme used to say "Ella, she was the first lady of song, she could do no wrong" I agree with Mr. Torme.