Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book [Original recording remastered]

Ella Fitzgerald | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 14, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1958
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000050J5Y
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,292 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2009 two CD set including bonus tracks. Ella Fitzgerald's Songbook series of albums are rightly famed as being some of the greatest vocal Jazz ever and The Irving Berlin Songbook is one of the best. Featured in its entirety along with bonus tracks, this edition contains 38 glorious tracks. Jazz Manifesto. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Can You Miss With Ella And Berlin, November 17, 2000

By 

"marleyscott" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (Audio CD)

This handsomely repackaged collection of 32 masterfully crafted songs by American composer Irving Belin stands as part of the greatest body of work produced by any 20th century popular singer. In compiling her monumental songbook collection Fitzgerald paid tribute to America's "big five", Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Richard Rogers, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. She also recorded the works of Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer and Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, superb but arguably second tier composers.

Of the "big five", Berlin is admittedly the most sentimental and perhaps least urbane. Where Richard Rogers could tell of ladies playing craps, (The Lady Is A Tramp) and Cole Porter could write of sniffing cocaine, (I Get A Kick Out Of You) and illicit love, (Love For Sale) Berlin was content to praise the joys of Easter Bonnets, White Christmas and Alexander's Ragtime Band. But let's not forget his more than capable hand at romance with the likes of Cheek To Cheek, Blue Skies and I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm.

As with all of Ella's songbooks, the arrangements, the selections and of course her superlative styling make this essential listening. I do have a preference for the Cole Porter and Rogers & Hart songbooks, but this collection still rates five stars. How could you miss with Ella and Berlin?

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Defining American Music, September 3, 2006

By 

John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (Audio CD)

Irving Berlin's music, performed as originally written, does not sound at all like it would "fit" Ella's style.

But it does.

In fact, Ella's interpretation of these classics just about defines uniquely American music. I was so taken with my "personal discovery" of these classics, and this collection finds and displays only the very, very best.

You'll love it, and wonder how you could claim to understand American music before you've given it a thorough hearing.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bluest of Skies, August 6, 2004

By 

hbubi "hbubi" (La Jolla, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (Audio CD)

Ella is superlative. We know that. Berlin's tunes neither have the wry urban sophistication of Porter nor the jazzy complexity of Ellington, but they have a compelling simplicity and honesty. Ella's versions are the best out there. In fact, "Blue Skies" is in my mind one of the top five Ella songs, and that says a great deal indeed. There are many standouts here, including "Putting on the Ritz", which is a great party song. Enjoy!