Customer Reviews

Whisper Not (Special Packaging)

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Fans of Ella Fitzgerald will be thrilled to finally see this one put on compact disc for the first time. One of those rare departures for the beloved Ella Fitzgerald from the wildly successful and now classic Songbook Series, WHISPER NOT teams Ella with arranger/conductor extraordinaire Marty Paich. Infusing the charts with his West Coast arranging magic, Ella zips through a handful of tunes, starting right in with a scintilating version of the old chestnut SWEET GEORGIA BROWN. The title track seemed to be a favorite among the be-bop scene (Dizzy Gillespie had a good hit with WHISPER NOT, and Stan Getz covered it nicely as well) and Ella and Marty seem to take their cues from those shuffling versions without too much ado. Ella's reading of THANKS FOR THE MEMORY is wistful and plaintive, recalling her version many years earlier for Decca (is it me or were there times when Ella re-recorded a song years later and still had the same sweetness and tone as the original?) Other swingers are a souped up version of OL' MACDONALD (no doubt inspired by Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle's updating of this kid's tune) and a tune of the day (back in '66) WIVES AND LOVERS (while this one is a Jack Jones signature, it is a nice change to hear a female version, and nicer yet since the female is Ella!) Special LP style packaging is a really nice touch not available on domestic releases up until now; a good way of bridging the gap that UMV has caused between themselves and jazz fans since buying Verve out. Hoping they continue releasing the great albums that deserve to be out there. Just like this one!

Finally my wait is over for this recording to become available on CD. I bought it on LP when it first came out and I was 20 years old. I loved it then and I love it now. I have my favorite cuts, including "You've Changed," "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Lover Man," and the title cut, but every cut is a winner making this album a classic up there with Sgt. Pepper's and Dark Side of the Moon. The sounds of the Marty Paich orchestra compliment Ella's voice to perfection.

Maybe the reason I like this recording so well has to do with when I first heard it, but I don't think so. I think this is one of the best jazz vocal albums ever made.

It's worth the full price of the entire album just to hear her sing "Sweet Georgia Brown." No one else can ever sing it like her, they should have retired the song after she recorded it. Plus the arrangement is fantastic.

I also love that wig she's wearing on the cover.

'Whisper Not' is probably one of Ella Fitzgerald's most sought-after albums, being that it was a rare departure for her, as most of the things she was recording in the same period were for her legendary 'Songbook' series.

This is a limited-edition reissue from Universal which presents the album complete with the original Verve LP artwork, and the original liner notes.

Among the great numbers in this collection are "Matchmaker Matchmaker" from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, "Sweet Georgia Brown", "I Said No", "Time After Time" and "Wives and Lovers". Fitzgerald recorded the numbers in a single sitting, which proves beyond a doubt that she still is one of the most remarkable performers of all time.

Ella is accompanied here by the wonderful Marty Paich and his orchestra.

This limited-edition reissue is being discontinued in early 2005, but I hear that copies will get harder and harder to get as early as next year, so I advise anyone who has yet to buy this album to snap it up now.

Doesn't matter how much I try to translate my admiration for Ella's vocals and singing abilities, there are no words that can be fair to the feeling one can get when listening to her.

I bought this album because I had no recordings of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and I found out other great songs, I enjoyed all of them specially "I say No", because the way she sings it is chic, hip, bright and sarcastic.

I like lots of other jazz singers, but Ella Fitzgerald is the number one in my opinion.

Cut during her 1950s/'60s prime (summer 1966, to be exact), 'Whisper Not' finds the great Ella Fitzgerald sparkling with wit and zest, though unfortunately the second half of the album fails to live up to the first.

The album kicks off with a rollicking "Sweet Georgia Brown." What Ella and Paich have done with this is stunning. They swing the ages-old standard with wild abandon, Ella starting off light, easy, and fairly straightfoward, and then twisting each chorus a little bit more until she wails the last one to pieces. A delicious opener with some classic phrasing--Ella's first reading of "Since she came, why it's a shame how she coooooools 'em down...*sigh*...Fellas...she can't get are fellas..she ain't met" is fabulous.

The jazzy vamp of "Whisper Not" is perfectly suited to Ella's style (or is it vice-versa?), and the lyrics by Leonard Feather (who wrote the liner notes as well) are especially tasty. On the wonderful out-chorus, Ella takes a major departure from the entire melody, looping over, under, and around and weaving a fantastic line of notes with the lyrics.

After a minute and a half of "I Said No," I very nearly skipped to the next track and wrote it off as idiotic repetition. But I didn't, and I'm SO happy. It slowly builds toward a rather humorous joke, catching the listener off guard--she's not singing about what you thought after all!--then abruptly turns the tables and launches back in the opposite direction, hilariously. And yet AGAIN the joke's on us, and the tables are turned once again. Ella has a ball with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and gives a truly memorable reading.

The late Bob Hope's chestnut "Thanks for the Memory" is dusted off for a lovely treatment. Ella's reading of the last verse is sublime, and capped with a mind-bogglingly perfect coda that is perhaps the ultimate example of Ella's uncanny ability to imitate an instrument with her voice.

Improbably, included in this outing is, of ALL things, "Old Macdonald." One might wrinkle one's nose at the idea of that, but this simply has to be heard to be believed. Over a raucous arrangement that races at breakneck pace, Ella puts Mac and his farm out on Front Street, giving the lowdown on everything down to the little old Ford "with a clink-clink here and a clink-clink there," building and building until the arrangement explodes halfway through and Ella cries, "Old Macdonald had a farm--WHAT a swingin' farm!" The band goes into a frenzy behind her as she launches into the animal sounds again before finally throwing in the towel and wrapping up--"Ah, the heck with it! How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm like Old Macdonald did?!" BRILLIANT.

Along for the ride are several take-or-leave ballads, including "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "You've Changed," and "Time After Time." (Chet Baker's version of the latter has ruined me for any other.) A beautiful treatment of "Lover Man" is here also, and "I've Got Your Number" is a very cute tune which features, among other things, Ella singing the phrase "damn fools." The album closes with two waltzes, a very bland "Matchmaker" and a fair cover of "Wives and Lovers." (For a really swinging version of this tune, catch Lena Horne's knowing vocals on the 'Ultra-Lounge Tiki Sampler' or Sinatra and Basie's driving, bluesy 4/4 take on 'It Might as Well Be Swing.')

'Whisper Not' ends up being rather uneven due to some uninspired ballads, but the first half delivers, with "Georgia," "Old Macdonald," and the title track being practically worth the price of the disc all by themselves. Not the first Ella disc you should go for, but definitely not a completists-only. There's some first-rate jazz here.

Ella Fitzgerald could take just about any song and make it her own using her remarkable sensitivity and vocal technique. Ella's unique vocal abilities enabled her to perform vocal gymnastics and athletics as easily as breathing. Whisper Not gives us an incredible track set that showcases Ella's fine talents and the arrangements by Marty Paich complement Ella's vocals to a tee!

The CD set opens with "Sweet Georgia Brown." The horns start with quite a flourish and Ella comes in with her voice in perfect form. Ella's voice is rich, warm and vibrant. Ella scats and romps through the octaves to make this number really swing. The number becomes even more electric as it progresses; you will like "Sweet Georgia Brown."

The set continues with "Whisper Not." Ella sings this romantic ballad with passion and sensitivity. Ella's voice gets the spotlight instead of sharing it with the musicians as it did on "Sweet Georgia Brown." Ella's excellent diction bolsters her performance; and she scats a bit, too. "Thanks For The Memory" features Ella singing this classic number in a soft, sweet, and supple style that glows like gold. Ella begins this number in the spotlight but she eventually shares it with the musicians. Marty Paich's arrangement works well.

"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" is a pensive, melancholy ballad that Ella treats carefully. Ella's vocals convey sensitivity as she jumps through an octave or two and Ella plays with the tempo of her vocals just a bit. "Old MacDonald" gets Ella's usual fine treatment; but I doubt "Old MacDonald" is the best choice for this album. Yes, "Old MacDonald" is a breakneck jazzy number; but I suspect that it may have also been thrown in for a little shock effect!

"You've Changed" gives us as a romantic, slow tempo ballad with a distinctly melancholy mood that Ella delivers with panache and sensitivity as she sings her heart out. "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" is another melancholy number that Ella massages to make this her own. Ella may sing "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" without too many vocal tricks but make no mistake about it--Ella's interpretation of "Lover Man" reigns supreme.

The CD ends on an upbeat note with "Matchmaker" from "Fiddler On The Roof." The melody is infectiously catchy and there's just enough of a girlish quality in Ella's voice to convey a young woman's desire to marry the man of her dreams. The big band style arrangement by Marty Paich uses horns, percussion and drums to carry the bulk of the melody; and this works well. Ella's hopeful attitude makes this a strong ending for the album.

The liner notes include the original liner notes by Leonard Feather; and the cover artwork reflects good taste.

Ella Fitzgerald remains a true star in the entertainment world; and I doubt that we'll ever see another star quite like her. When the CD ends you want more just as Ella's audiences always wanted more after her concerts. We still reap the benefits of having Ella give her gifts to us; and anyone who enjoys Ella or classic jazz vocals will be charmed by this CD.

Of all the 50's and 60's Ella in my collection, this is the oddball. I have a feeling that this would only appeal to those who owned, or remember, the original LP and have nostalgic feelings for it. I don't recommend it to anyone looking to "discover" Ella. Pick out a "songbook", "Hello Love", or "Sings Songs for Swingers" instead.

Thank you to the folks at UMV (owners of the Verve catalog) for finally making this album available on CD!!! Here Ella (with the late, great Marty Paich giving an assist) delivers the goods on twelve fantastic songs, backed by some of Hollywood's finest jazz musicians. Not a bad track in the bunch!!

Another of Ella's albums I'd love to see on CD is "Hello Dolly," which features her no-holds barred treatment of the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love."