Product Details

• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Tdk DVD Video
• DVD Release Date: September 26, 2006
• Run Time: 56 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000H9HWRI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,194 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald features Â"The First Lady Of SongÂ" in two distinct performances. The fi rst is the earliest known complete concert of Ella to be captured on fi lm. Shot in Belgium, this 1957 concert has her performing with jazz greats Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jo Jones and the legendary Oscar Peterson on classics such as Â"Lullaby Of Birdland,Â" and Â"It DonÂ’t Mean A Thing (If It AinÂ’t Got That Swing).Â" The second show is an intimate in-studio performance from 1963, taped in Sweden, featuring Ella backed by a quartet including pianist Tommy Flanagan. Highlights include stellar versions of Â"Mack The KnifeÂ" and Â"Just One Of Those Things.Â"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic footage of the queen of scat, October 11, 2006

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald Live in '57 and '63 (DVD)

This disc features concert footage of two of Ella Fitzgerald's European performances. The first, filmed in Belgium in 1957 crackles with cool, even though the somewhat prim and proper Belgian audience never really loosens up and gives Ella enough energy to work with. Thus, it's a fairly reserved set... but, man, is it classy! She good-naturedly zips through standards and longtime faves, accompanied by several top-flight sidemen, including Jo Jones on drums, a lanky, young Ray Brown on bass, and Herb Ellis on guitar. Their solos and improvisations are minimal -- this is a pretty formal performance -- but they all radiate competence and calm. Unannounced, Roy Eldridge and Oscar Petersen drop in to jam at the end of the set -- sadly, the film crew's static framing fails to catch Petersen's finger work, opting instead to linger on the set shots of the regular band. Still, you can't help but be wowed by Ella, and feel that you're being a glimpse of her utter greatness, seeing her work the room in this grand concert hall. The second set is more intimate, with Ella and a small combo led by pianist Tommy Flanagan playing on Swedish TV in 1963... Although the cheerful, informal vibe is great, this is also from a period where Ella's work was a bit rushed and perfunctory, with an emphasis on energy and speed, and acrobatic scatting. It's not my favorite Ella sound, but some folks love it, and this is a nice chance to see her up close and personal in her early '60s persona. All in all, this is a good glimpse at one of jazz music's all-time greats.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Priceless, February 23, 2007

By 

John Ellis "jonthes" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald Live in '57 and '63 (DVD)

Ella Fitzgerald was the great classical actress of the great jazz singers. The Belgium concert is just stunning, Ella at her absolute best in her prime. Polite, deeply grounded, she hardly moves, just that great voice coming out of that almost impassive face, a deep well with a placid surface. Very much like John Gielgud in one of his Shakespeare roles on stage (which I was lucky enough to see once).

The second concert is very good too, though her upper register was a little hoarse by then. She actually does the twist at one point, her thick body out of sync with her voice's rhythms. The "Mack the Knife" is stellar.

Her backup bands on both are wonderful to watch as well, great talents who aren't suffering as you often see lesser actors or musicians do on stage, enjoying the hell out making such wonderful sounds, happy to be behind a talent like hers. Even the audience shots on the Belgian film are fascinating, intense and rapt deadly serious devotees who burst into staccato applause at odd moments.

Let this series keep digging and hope there is more out there.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ella disc I've been waiting for!, January 4, 2007

By 

R. Erickson (Moorpark, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald Live in '57 and '63 (DVD)

I've purchased all of Ella's available concert DVD's and they're all worth having, but this one is from a period in her career when she was pretty much omnipotent. The '57 concert in Belgium, in particular, with Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jo Jones and an appearance by Oscar Peterson on "It Don't Mean a Thing...", shows her in flawless form. Not a lot of show business by today's standards, she just stands there and sings as beautifully as any human ever has...who could ask for anything more?