Customer Reviews

The War Years

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Its interesting to notice how long it took for Ella Fitzgerald to grow up as artist.In her Chick Webb days her voice was just a chubby little charming sound and during 40-ies she was still singing too many novelty tunes: judging from this material one would NEVER in million years guess what a giant of jazz music she would became in the next decade.I am sure it was not only big bad company excecutive who make her sing such a silly songs as "Stone Cold Dead In the Market" (!), Ella herself obviously had some weaknes for novelties as well and it would need a strong personality of Norman Granz to point her in the right direction 10 years later, with his Songbook series.To enjoy this double CD one has to program the listening track, choosing best songs instead playing everything simply because her talent was wasted on too many ditties of the day.Presence of such guests as Ink Spots,The Delta Rhytm Boys and Louis Jordan was a good marketing trick, but most of this songs have did not age gracefully as Ella's later work for Verve.For lovers of 40-ies music this double CD is obligatory and I was curious to hear Fitzgerald's growth as a singer from 30-ies Band vocalist to 50-ies Songbook legend, but too much of this music is forgettable!

Many of the songs are real obscure recording. Most are the B side of her hits. Although she can't do much wrong, skip this one.