Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000047EG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,419 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Pop > Oldies > Tin Pan Alley
  • #29 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Classic Vocalists
  • #46 in Music > Jazz > Traditional Jazz & Ragtime > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Long considered a jewel in Verve Records' very impressive crown, Fitzgerald's songbook collections of various composers--a series that was started by the success of this set--are all wonderful, but her natural wit and intelligence was at its most perfect with Cole Porter's erudite, urbane songs. While not as scat-oriented as her small group outings, these Porter sets offer her most realized pop performances. Also, the gold remastering does a fine job of bringing out the nuances in the arrangements, making this a treasure for the serious collector and the casual listener alike. A true American music gem. --Skip Heller

Product Description

The single best-selling volume in Ella's fabled Songbook series, with three bonus takes, original album art and terrific sound! 34 tracks.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars MY DESERT ISLAND RECORDING October 15, 2000

By MOVIE MAVEN

Format:Audio CD

If I had to choose only one recording that would accompany me to a desert island, it would be this two disc set. I first heard it when I was a teenager and am still loyally playing it many years later. I have been through two sets on vinyl, three cassette versions and I now own one CD set for my house and one CD set for my car. Do I sound obsessed? Guilty! This is simply superb music making on every level. Ella was in her prime and her voice has, perhaps, sounded this sweet on other recordings but certainly never any sweeter. If she, as usual, gives some of the lyrics short shrift, this is undoubtedly made up for by the way she sounds: pure and sassy and loaded with charm and sophistication. The arrangements are clever and/or romantic and lush and lift Ella to an even higher level. Porter was, of course, one of the 3 or 4 finest lyricists/composers that the American theatre has ever known and all of his songs in this album sound as if they were written for Ella and not for the Broadway stage. If you can only buy one CD set this year or can only afford to give one gift this coming holiday season, believe me this is the set to buy.

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The one album to have if stranded on a desert isle... June 18, 1999

By VINCENT P TARSITANO

Format:Audio CD

I have thousands of cds in my collection, but, if I were ever forced to chuck them all, except for one, this collection is very probably the one I would hang on to. These readings constitute some of the purest pop in all of American music.

Unlike the drama of a Streisand or a Celine Dion or the vocal gymnastics of a Whitney or Mariah, here especially, "The First Lady of Song" shows her greatness by not ever pushing. As a fellow vocalist, I must say that I have been strongly influenced by Ella's pure, straight-ahead singing.

And the tunes...Cole Porter wrote truly elegant, "tasty" songs with clever lyrics. I learned many of these great tunes and a good bit of technique by listening to this album. A treasure that's included is the often-bypassed "Do I Love You," which is one of the most elegant love songs ever written. Buddy Bregman's arrangements are brilliant--everything from simple piano accompaniment ["Miss Otis Regrets," where Ella's understated delivery actually heightens the drama of this unusual song] to small combo ["Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)," where the slow, "love-making pace" actually creates a sexiness and extra sense of fun)] to full string and horns [the best arrangement ever of "Begin The Beguine," truly a WONDER!!].

All of Ella's songbooks are masterpieces, but this one is the "TOP," the Coliseum... A delicious treat from beguine-ing to end. [I need to stop!] So many of Mr. Porter's great tunes are included.

Viva Ella, The First Lady of Song! Viva Cole Porter, master tunesmith.

ESSENTIAL FOR ANY COLLECTOR.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars They don't make 'em like they used to... April 25, 2000

By mrovich

Format:Audio CD

Nostalgia is an annoying emotion, and irritating to hear about, because there are always worthy artists working, and there will always be the potential for sublime music. But an album likes this really makes you yearn for older days - I don't particularly like the idea of missing out everything that followed this album, in the 60's etc., but where can you find a voice like Ella's today, and a musical supremo like Louis?

I believe that Ella Fitzgerald has the greatest voice in jazz...I hesitate to say in ANY music, because it is difficult to compare classically trained singers with jazz ones, but hers in any case is so warm and beautiful as to touch your soul. In this album, it is allowed to express itself fully, and since no voice can be perfect, is even enhanced by the harmonies it engages in with Louis'.

His trumpet playing is excellent, though singing is given the main emphasis, where his extraordinary sense of rhythm, and his sheer enjoyment of the music make him more than a match for Ella. The instrumental section performs a little backing masterpiece of its own, with the supreme Oscar Peterson trio plus drummer doing that great musical trick of making themselves pretty much unnoticeable UNLESS you take them out.

Every song here is a delight, bringing plenty of smiles and sighs. The album works because of the constant craftsmanship, and I am sure the remastering people deserve some credit, because the sound quality is very high.

It would be very difficult not to enjoy this album...and a special note to people in the northern hemisphere - this is a great summer album. Get buying!