Customer Reviews

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While she was on the broad, lofty, sunlit plateau that corresponds with the `peak' in other singers' careers, Ella Fitzgerald was barely capable of singing a bum note, let alone recording a weak album. However, within the context of that supremely polished, summative exploration of American popular music, the `Songbook' series, the 1963 entry devoted to Jerome Kern is, in my view, the nearest to an indifferent collection. It should have been a cracker - Kern's constantly surprising refrains, Nelson Riddle's near-infallible sense of the most suitable arrangement, Fitzgerald's peerless, understated sensitivity to mood and melody.

In fairness, had this been the only Songbook that Ella ever recorded, it would still be a fine achievement by any standards. And there are many pleasures here. There is the characteristically subtle and un-obvious ordering of material - for instance, the album begins, aptly, with the relatively little-known but utterly charming `Let's Begin' rather than the crowd-pleasing `A Fine Romance' (which comes next) and ends on an unexpectedly low-key note with a desolate rendering of `Why Was I Born?' There are some moments of pure loveliness unsurpassed in any of Ella's or Riddle's other recordings: just listen to the way they build and round out that exquisite rising phrase in `I'm Old Fashioned' - " But sighing sighs, holding hands/ These my heart understands ..."

However, there is something slightly lackluster about the proceedings, and certain elements just don't work. For example, Riddle very seldom misjudged pace with any of his collaborators, but the tempo of `The Way You Look Tonight' - which should have been one of the jewels in Ella's songbook crown - is slow to the point of being funereal. And is it my imagination, or does Ella end `A Fine Romance' slightly flat? If these are two specific problems, there are others that are less tangible. The album just does not hang together or command your attention as do the other Riddle entries in the songbook series - not just the monumental Gershwin collection but also the underrated `Johnny Mercer Songbook,' which he arranged for Ella the year after doing Kern. If there is a single underlying problem, it is perhaps that Ella was not in her usual matchless voice for these sessions - there is a breathiness and a dullness of timbre which is certainly not present in her landmark album with Count Basie from July of the same year or, for that matter, in the Mercer songbook recorded towards the end of 1964.

In summary, if you're building up a collection of Ella's songbooks, then you won't want to leave this one out. There is an awful lot to appreciate in it both for the seasoned Fitzgerald fan and for those who simply love great tunes, often with excellent lyrics by the likes of Mercer and Dorothy Fields, sung with wit and tenderness. However, if you're relatively new to Ella's work, then my advice would be this: don't start here - experience first the lambent beauty of her work on the Berlin songbook (still, at the time of writing, available as two separate albums) or her definitive interpretation of the greatest music ever produced in Broadway, in the 2CD set devoted to the songs of Rodgers and Hart.

Ella's Jerome Kern collection, with the singer in peak form backed by splendidly jazzy Nelson Riddle arrangements, is an essential component of her complete Verve Songbook masterwork, and a triumph of content over form. Coming late in the series, the project unfortunately received short shrift as a single-LP album whereas two or more discs had been the norm for prior Songbooks.

While the selection is an adequate sampling of Kern standards, there is simply not enough space on one disc to do justice to this great American composer's art. A multi-disc boxed set (similar to Fitzgerald's grandiose Gershwin and Ellington Songbooks), with material ranging from extensive selections from Show Boat and Roberta to lesser-known gems from the P. G. Wodehouse Princess Theater shows, would have been ideal for Kern; but alas! this was not to be, as the Verve Songbook series was then perceived as having run its course.

The magnificent performances of Fitzgerald and the Riddle orchestra more than atone. This album is absolutely not to be missed (for any reason) by followers of the artists, Kern, musical theatre or the American popular song.

Ella's songbook recordings are uniformly wonderful, and provide the definitive versions of standard songs. This collection is no exception. Ella is in fine voice on these recordings. A particular highlight is "The Way You Look Tonight". This wonderful song is done in a slow, very romantic manner that communicates the essential underlying emotion. The other songs are also done extremely well. There is not a weak track in this collection. As an introduction to Ella Fitzgerald, and to Jerome Kern, one could not do better than this CD.

If you thought Ella, Nelson and the Gershwins were unbeatable, think again!

Here the accent is on one composer with several different lyricists - Mercer, Hammerstein, Harbach and Fields. I've never been a great fan of Hammerstein (much preferred Rodgers with Hart rather than the legendary "O"), however the lyrics Oscar provided for the songs chosen for this recording were certainly not "as corny as Kansas in August". Ella's version of "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" is pure and simple. She wisely avoided the usual reading of "when he goes away-AY, that's a rainy day-AH" and sings it in her own understated, but elegant, manner.

I've read some many articles about Ella's lack of emotion and feeling, it almost sickens me. I think that many people confuse emotion and feeling with hysterical histrionics. Not so! She gets just the right old fashioned feeling in "I'm Old Fashioned". "Remind Me" is just the right vehicle to showcase Ella's ability to hold her tongue firmly in cheek and kiss the guy off and beckon him back.

Listen to Ella's humorous treatments of "I'll Be Hard to Handle", "Let's Begin" and, most notably, "She Didn't Say Yes". The humor is not "Ha, Ha, Ha! " It's all so subtle, it's pure magic. She was not only a composer's dream, she was a lyricist's dream as well!

Nelson Riddle continued to provide the "best of the best" arrangements. He certainly knew when to stay in the background and when to come out swinging. This is just one totally enjoyable recording.

While the Jerome Kern Songbook is considered generally to be the least of the songbooks, I feel it is a truly wonderful album that deserves a place on anyone's shelf who enjoys good music.

Kern was a master of melody and his style suits Ella perfectly!!The Nelson Riddle arrangements are lovely and Ella's vocals are pure and gorgeous throughout. High points on this wonderful collection are "I'm Old Fashioned", "Remind Me", and "Yesterdays". But the whole album is wonderful!! Standout lyrics throughout!! A great example of Ella's versatility!! Buy it!! You won't regret it!!!

If you thought Ella, Nelson and Gershwin were an unbeatable trio, think again!

Here the accent is on one composer with several different lyricists - Mercer, Hammerstein, Harbach and Fields. I've never been a great fan of Hammerstein (much preferred Rodgers with Hart rather than the legendary "O"), however the lyrics Oscar provided for Ella's songs in this cd were certainly not "as corny as Kansas in August". Ella's version of "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" is pure and simple. She wisely avoids the usual delivery of "when he goes awayAY, that's a rainy dayAY" and sings it in her own understated but elegant manner.

I've read so many articles about Ella's lack of emotion and feeling, it almost sickens me. I think most people (am I being too generous to critics by referring to them as such?) confuse emotion and feeling with hysterical histrionics. No so! Listen to Ella's humorous treatment of "I'll be Hard to Handle", "Let's Begin" and, most notably, "She Didn't Say Yes". The humor is not "Ha Ha Ha", it's so subtle, it's pure magic. She also get's her old fashioned delivery perfect in "I'm Old Fashioned".

Nelson Riddle continued to provide the "best of the best" arrangements. Here is a conductor and arranger who knows when to stay in the background and when to come out swinging.

This is just one totally enjoyable recording.

Ella is heavenly, naughty and nice. Hope the keepers of music will pull together another Jerome Kern album

One must laugh when reading these 8 reviews. If only all albums had this much artistry & care! While 3/4 of the reviews are *****, the comments would make one think it was rated much lower. One comment states her range was better on the Mecrer Songbook but she really goes flat on Day In Day Out. Another comment is that her Berlin Songbook is far better but I feel that one was her worst songbook. She was mismatched with the Berlin material. Reallly! It'a all personal taste! Ella didn't have the range of Sarah Vaughan, Eydie Gorme, Jane Morgan or Shirley Bassey but she had other great talents. In the later years when other singers would have been in their declines, Ella smartly picked a new manager & better quality songs & arrangements. She also kept her voice in tact as long as possible. No one singer has all the great qualities. She had so much variety in being able to do scat, straight jazz, pop, blues, & satire. She gave us knowledge of many great songs that would have been otherwise left forgotten. From this cd, She Didn't Say Yes, & I'll Be Hard To Handle are musts to any collection. I can't think of any singer who could have done those 2 better. Ella coud really swing & dramatize at same time. Not many could. I'm surprised no mentioned the at 1st 6 songs are better than the last 6. Here I think arranger Nelson Riddle was doing straight forward pop arrngements for the side A of the orginial lp & being adventurous with the B side. While I see how one may not like Way You Look Tonight, I give it ***** for an unique arrangement. In those days too many songs had to end in 3 minutes. This was allowed time to paint a complete canvas. If one wants a great introduction to a great American composer, start with this, please.

I own most of Ella Fitzgerald's songbooks on CD so I was happy to add this to my collection. The only problem with it is that it's way too short. Unlike most of Ella's other songbooks this one only has 12 tunes. Lesser known songs such as `Let's Begin','I'll Be Hard to Handle','You Couldn't Be Cuter' and `Remind Me' would have been fine on a two LP collection of 25+ songs but here they take the place of standards like "Long Ago and Far Away", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and The Folks Who Live On The Hill.

The folks at Verve could have at last added "I Won't Dance" and "Pick Yourself Up" from "Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson" as bonus tracks to fill in the CD. Both albums were recorded around the same time so there is no difference in the sound of Ella's voice or Nelson Riddle's arranging style.

Ella is always fabulous and there are a nice selection of Jerome Kern songs, but I have to say that this is not my favorite album by the incomparable Ms. Fitzgerald.

If you are beginning your SongBook Collection, I would recommend the Rogers and Hart Songbook, or the Johnny Mercer. Both demonstrate Ella's wonderful range much more effectively.

Nonetheless, you won't be disappointed with the JK Songbook. Ella still "sells" the songs beautifully.