Customer Reviews

Compact Jazz (Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong)

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Simply charming. This was the first album I ever heard of Ella or Louis and remains one of my favorites today. The songlist is wonderful, the accompanying musicians fantastic, and Ella & Louis make an exceptional team. The energy between these two is so playful and suave that you can't help but bear a grin. Plus the band stays in the pocket while swinging your socks off. If you're new to jazz, or burnt out from playing too many Lydian flat-7 scales, then refresh yourself with this simple, solid and tasty goodie. MMmmmmmm!

With Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong both performing at the peak of their careers, and with "backup" played by Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson, the listener can enjoy seven of the greats of jazz, all having fun on the same album. Recorded between 1956-57 and digitally remastered in 1988, Ella's voice is bright, clear, and smooth, able to respond to whatever demands Ella makes of it, while Louis's is growly, gravelly, and operating at its limits. They provide a wonderful counterpoint to each other, while their accompanying musicians add color and a lively swing beat. But then, with stars like these, how can you lose?

In "They Can't Take That Away From Me," Ella begins in a bright swing tempo while Louis plays muted trumpet in the background, then the two alternate solos. "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good" is a vampy number with Louis soloing on the trumpet, Peterson and Rich accompanying, and Ella joining them halfway through. "It Ain't Necessarily So" features both stars singing scat, with Louis's soaring trumpet, and Peterson on the piano. "A Foggy Day," one of the best songs on the album, features Oscar Peterson's memorable and simple piano--with Ella improvising and Louis on trumpet.

All these musicians obviously respect each other, trust each other, and listen to each other, creating a unified sound from the disparate talents each brings to the studio. Best of all, it is obvious that they are having real fun together, and the listener will join them in that fun. Mary Whipple

Just a terrific album. They are so together and in sync, backed by all star musicians. Incredibly beautiful trumpet by Armstrong on Summertime. An evergreen album. You can't go wrong.

The COMPACT JAZZ series reunites Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald with samples from their classic 1956-'57 VERVE sessions. These two scat singers couldn't have been more opposite vocally, and yet the combination worked fabulously. Armstrong with his ruined lip still was an expressive vocalist, while Ella was in her singing prime.

The program is weighted with Gershwin tunes. The reason is some material here was drawn from the twosome's PORGY & BESS LP, while the other Gershwin standards were scattered between the ELLA AND LOUIS and ELLA AND LOUIS AGAIN albums. This is a fine early-stereophonic collection of standards performed by two of 20th Century's best. Highly recommended.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 57:45

Just an incredible singing combination, with her pure voice and his gravelly interpretations. Louis and Ella make musical magic on virtually all the songs in this collection. Particularly enjoyable are "Can't We Be Friends," "A Fine Romance," and "I Won't Dance." This CD is a 'must' for any Armstrong/Fizgerald fans and those who love music the way it was meant to be heard.

Quite simply put, one of the best cds I've ever listened to. That's what you get when you put together two of the best musicians ever.

I first bought this in 1989 or 1990. I was stationed in the Republic of Korea, (that's the south half for those of you who aren't sure). I had just bought my first CD Player, ( I know it was well after they had been out for a while but I still had a cassette deck in my truck until 2 years ago), and after I waited a month to get the perfect CD to play first on it, (Aqualung, by the way), I fell in love with this one. These are some of the best of the classics. I totally agree with the other reviews prior to this one. This CD contains the best verson of, "Summer Time", you will ever hear. You can't get any better than this, `nuff said!

Spence the Elder
"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
-M. Addams-