Customer Reviews

The Early Years, Pt. 1

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Ella Fitzgerald, The Early Years, Part 1 has two CDs that give us numbers that Ella Fitzgerald recorded with Chick Webb & His Orchestra; this also includes some numbers Ella recorded not just with Chick Webb's Orchestra but also with her own team entitled Ella Fitzgerald & Her Savoy Eight. Overall, this is a fantastic two CD set. We get great swing music and this showcases what pop music was like in the later half of the 1930s. The tracks are mostly free of surface noise and the artwork is very nicely done. This two CD set includes a booklet with photos, an essay by Will Friedwald, and the song credits.

The first CD starts with "I'll Chase The Blues Away;" that big band style arrangement is incredible! Ella sounds very good; her voice is as clear as a bell. She shows all the signs of a soon-to-be great chanteuse. "Rhythm And Romance" is another peppy tune that has Ella squarely front and center. The brass is used to great advantage on "Rhythm And Romance," too. "Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)" has Ella singing beautifully; her excellent diction enhances her singing all the more. We also get an early recording of "You'll Have To Swing It ("Mr. Paganini");" Ella loved to sing this song and it's great to hear her youthful voice belt this out flawlessly. Ella handles the tempo changes like the pro she was already. In addition, "Vote For Mr. Rhythm" was timed to coincide with the 1936 presidential election--and wow, how this number swings!

"Organ Grinder's Swing" uses the brass to mimic the sound of an organ grinder on the street; and listen for "If You Ever Should Leave." "If You Ever Should Leave" has some surface noise but it's enjoyable anyway. Ella sings this song with all her heart and soul--just one listen proves it! "If You Ever Should Leave" is also one of the numbers on which Ella's subgroup "Her Savoy Eight" performed. "Just A Simple Melody" continues that 1930s pop/swing music with a big band style musical intro; and when Ella comes in this number takes flight!

The second CD continues the great music. "I Want To Be Happy" shines like silver and gold when the crew perform this; Ella's vocals are nothing short of sublime! "Bei Mir Bist Du Schöen" was one of the rare times an ethnic song made the big time; and this rendition featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Her Savoy Eight is absolutely wonderful. Ella sings of how she loves her man. "It's Wonderful" has an elegant piano arrangement; and Ella sings sweetly of the joys of love. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" was one of Ella's earliest big hits; she even sang this song in the movie "Ride `Em, Cowboy." Terrific! "You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's, Too)" has a title that sums up the message of the song. Ella takes "You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's, Too)" and wears her heart on her sleeve for this tune. Ella's Savoy Eight also help to make this a memorable tune.

"McPherson Is Rehearsin' (To Swing)" shines as Chick Webb & His Orchestra play this very well; and Ella's vocals complement their music perfectly. Ella sings this with just a hint of a low, deep gravelly sound in her voice--an early sign that her voice was maturing! In addition, listen for Ella and Her Savoy Eight to join Chick Webb's Orchestra on "Strictly From Dixie." "F.D.R. Jones" was performed by several different singers but Ella's rendition ranks high. "F.D.R. Jones" has an extended musical intro and Ella sings this marvelously. The second CD ends with "I Found My Yellow Basket;" this follow-up song to "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" sounds great and Ella sings it with lots of positive energy.

Ella Fitzgerald could never be forgotten; she worked hard to entertain her audiences from day one and the proof is in these very early recordings. I highly recommend this CD for Ella Fitzgerald fans; and people who like classic pop and swing music will definitely enjoy this two CD set.

I disagree with what Mr. Kalafut says in his review. While these may not be the absolute best songs to showcase Ms. Fitzgerald, they're a wonderful sampling of Chick Webb & His Orchestra. Sure, if you want the standard Ella stuff stick with the songbooks, but if you want to go back to her beginnings *and* listen to one of the great jazz bands of the 30's, this is it. Listen to some of the samples and decide for yourself if this is for you or not.

(Yes, I bought this mostly for Chick Webb; Ella was a mere bonus for me.)

And by the way, the audio restoration on these is very nice!

The 1930's was an extraordinary time for music and movies, style and fashion. Although it could hardly be called a carefree time for nearly anyone in America the tone of this compilation, like most of the popular music of the day, reflects a more lighthearted mood than one might expect from an era memorable for such circumstances as the Great Depression, prohibition, racial inequality and segregation. Perhaps in spite of, or perhaps because of these societal conditions such memorable artists as Ella Fitzgerald emerged from within our midst and stirred us with such style and panache that the world will forever be shaped by their very existence.
The life of Ella was the epitome of Cinderella stories; a sometimes homeless orphan who, on a dare, entered a talent competition as a dancer and at the last moment decided instead to sing and dazzled the audience. She found herself scooped up, reluctantly at first, by Chick Webb's orchestra and would later dazzle the world with her phenomenal, once in a lifetime talent. Although her zenith was far from realized at this time, these songs give us a snap shot of the raw, as of yet untapped genius that would become the "First Lady of jazz." The very mention of the name "Ella" invokes images of that seemingly effortless delivery of vocal mastery unmatched in style or quality before or since.
These early recordings of this vocal master; a true diamond in the rough, are well presented in their format and sound quality for your enjoyment and thoughtfully chronicled and documented in this "must have" collection for all who have ever marveled at the great gift to music lovers which was, is and always will be "Ella."

I am Yohan from Sweeden and I love 30's "hot" jazz. This is one of teh finest swing singers of 30's period. Ella sings hot, and she sounds very young and fresh voiced, kind of sounding a little influenced by Connee of the Boswell Sisters. Ella is backed by Chick Webb's bands and smaller combos(Ella sizzles on the Savoy 8, combo sides). Great cd, and GREAT songs like Rhythm & Romance, and many other classic swing era tunes, this is not the "songbooks" series, so don't write reviews if you don't liek swing songs buy a Cole Porter or Gershwin songbook ,with EllA lost in strings, this here is Ella the hipster swing singer!!! BUY IT!!!

Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald were made for each other. I had this 2 disc set on tape as a teenager, and had been searching for it for years until finally finding it again today. Ella has hundreds of releases to sift through. I kept coming across her work with Louis Armstrong, which just doesn't do it for me. As her voice got older she took fewer chances, and seemed to settle into the music industry in a way that gets under my skin. I thought, this is not the Ella I wanted to hear. I get tired of the same jazz standards over and over again. But the arrangements on this particular collection with Chick Webb and his fantastic band just blow me away every time. Not only is Ella warbling and wooing you just nailing every note, but the band takes over between stanzas and the funny vaudevillian drums with wood blocks along with muffled trumpets and clarinets makes for a whole lot of fun. I played the album at work today and a coworker is now going to buy it for himself. I highly recommend this collection, not only above all other Ella releases, but I'd put it among the top 5 best albums ever released. You put it on, and let it play all afternoon. It's a lot of music!

This was a present for my father. He wanted to hear Ella Fitzgerald's early years. It was a hit with him and some of his friends he shared it with.

I disagree with what Mr. Kalafut says in his review. While these may not be the absolute best songs to showcase Ms. Fitzgerald, they're a wonderful sampling of Chick Webb & His Orchestra. Sure, if you want the standard Ella stuff stick with the songbooks, but if you want to go back to her beginnings *and* listen to one of the great jazz bands of the 30's, this is it. Listen to some of the samples and decide for yourself if this is for you or not.

(Yes, I bought this mostly for Chick Webb; Ella was a mere bonus for me.)

And by the way, the audio restoration on these is very nice!

Like Athena bursting out of the forehead of Zeus, Ella Fitzgerald seemingly came onto the music scene fully armed with one of the most beautiful voices in the history of jazz. Unfortunately, the fates conspired against her, and cursed her with some of the most insipid material imaginable on these recordings. (The liner notes themselves admit that the executives at Decca had no idea what to do with the talented young woman.)

Save your money and buy the "Best of Decca" for the classics such as "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", and spare yourself the torture of the terrible lows.