120774bk Ella5 3+3 13/5/05 12:01 PM Page 2 13. Baby Doll 3:14 17. Blue Lou 2:46 The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history of recorded (Harry Warren–Johnny Mercer) (Edgar Sampson–Irving Mills) music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, With Sonny Burke & His Orchestra and The With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to Rhythmaires Decca 28671, mx W 83952-A produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. Decca 27900, mx L 6533-A Recorded 13 February 1953, New York Recorded 26 December 1951, Los Angeles 18. Melancholy Me 2:52 Also available in the Naxos Jazz Legends series … 14. My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean 2:13 (Joe Thomas–Howard Briggs) (Traditional) With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra With Bobby Orton's Teen-Acers Decca 29008, mx W 85592-A Decca 28375, mx W 83247-A Recorded 23 December 1952, New York Recorded 13 August 1952, New York 19. Lullaby Of Birdland 2:48 15. Walkin’ By The River 2:26 (George Shearing–George David Weiss) (Una Mae Carlisle–Robert Sour) With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra and Vocal With Leroy Kirkland & His Orchestra Group Decca 28433, mx W 83430 Decca 29198, mx W 86367-A Recorded 19 September 1952, New York Recorded 4 June 1954, New York 16. Angel Eyes 2:51 20. Later 2:32 (Matt Dennis–Earl Brant) (Tiny Bradshaw–Henry Glover) 8.120700 8.120708 8.120750 With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra and Vocal Decca 28707, mx W 83012-A Group Recorded 26 June 1951, New York Decca 29198, mx W 86366-A Recorded 4 June 1954, New York Transfers & Production: David Lennick • Digital Restoration: Graham Newton Original monochrome photo of Ella Fitzgerald from Michael Ochs Archives / Redferns Producer’s Note There are two very strange edits in Goody Goody. These are on the record as issued in 1952, and present another example of Decca not seeming to care about one of its prized performers, nor its customers. The word ‘her’ is clumsily spliced in at two points, presumably because Ella sang 8.120763 8.120764 8.120765 ‘Goody goody for you’ instead of the published lyric. Unfortunately the replacement word seems to be from another performance and doesn't match, but nobody seemed to notice. These titles are not available in the USA David Lennick NAXOS RADIO Over 70 Channels of Classical Music • Jazz, Folk/World, Nostalgia 5 8.120774 www.naxosradio.com Accessible Anywhere, Anytime • Near-CD Quality 120774bk Ella5 3+3 13/5/05 12:01 PM Page 1 ELLA FITZGERALD songs (patterned after her first hit, “A-Tisket A- bebop pioneers Charlie Parker and Dizzy 1. My Baby Likes To Be-Bop 2:39 7. In The Evening When The Sun Goes Vol.5 Tasket”) and pop standards such as the Harold Gillespie, which resulted in her expanding her (Walter Bishop) Down 2:37 ‘Lullaby Of Birdland’ Original Recordings 1947-1954 Arlen/Ted Koehler classic I’ve Got The World on jazz sensibilities as a vocalist. With Ray Brown & His Orchestra (Leroy Carr–Don Raye) A String. For many of these recordings, they Of the songs on this recording, only two Decca 24332, mx W 74322-A With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra used proven arranger Sy Oliver (formerly with (Walkin’ By The River and Melancholy Me) Recorded 20 December 1947, New York Decca 24780, mx W 75279-A In this collection of songs, we find Ella Fitzgerald both featuring the backing of the lush Gordon Jimmie Lunceford’s swing band) supplying the made even brief appearances on Billboard’s ‘Juke 2. Robbins Nest 2:33 Recorded 20 September 1949, New York still exploring her own post-swing territory. In Jenkins orchestra and chorus. accompaniment. Oliver was also on hand to Box Charts’, a fact that may explain why Decca (Sir Charles Thompson–Illinois Jacquet) 8. I’ve Got The World On A String 3:15 another Naxos compilation, Ella & Company On the other hand, Ella was equally driven work with Ella on her superb rendition of allowed Ella to sign with Granz’ Verve label in With Illinois Jacquet & Orchestra (Harold Arlen–Ted Koehler) (Naxos 8.120765), Ella exhibited her versatility by her jazz chops, and even though she came George Shearing’s Lullaby Of Birdland (with 1955. Granz had become Ella’s manager in Decca 24538, mx W 74393-A With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra in combining her talents with artists ranging from the conservative Big Band Era, seemed lyrics by George David Weiss) complete with 1953 and convinced her that she needed to take Recorded 23 December 1947, New York Decca 27120, mx W 75937-A from the smooth sounds of the Mills Brothers to equally comfortable singing bebop, a style that organ by Bill Doggett. At the same session, Ella her career in a different direction from the 3. Black Coffee 3:03 Recorded 6 March 1950, New York the ebullient Louis Armstrong. On this fits perfectly with her talent for scat singing. strayed even further into R&B on Tiny Bradshaw aimless meandering she had been doing with (Sonny Burke–Paul Francis Webster) 9. Peas And Rice 3:20 recording, we witness Ella as she fronts a variety The most obvious example of this is on Walter and Henry Glover’s Later, which includes one of Decca since the end of World War II. Decca had With Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra (Mabel Inez Pollard–Milt Gabler) of Decca studio orchestras singing everything Bishop’s My Baby Likes To Be-Bop, featuring her most virtuosic scat choruses. apparently run out of material for her to record, Decca 24646, mx W 74864-A With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra from blues to bebop. the orchestra of Ella’s then-husband and music Ella Fitzgerald’s versatility had resulted in an as evidenced by her bizarre Latin percussion- Recorded 28 April 1949, New York Decca 27120, mx W 75939-A In the post-swing, pre-rock Never-Never- director, bassist Ray Brown. Three days after unexpected hit: her calypso duet with jump driven rendering of My Bonnie Lies Over The 4. A New Shade Of Blues 2:58 Recorded 6 March 1950, New York Land of the late ’40s and early ’50s, crooners this was recorded, Ella, still in a scatting mood, bandleader Louis Jordan on the Wilmoth Ocean, certainly the strangest version of this (Andy Ackers–Johnny Farrow–Ruth Poll) 10. Because Of Rain 3:09 ruled the best-selling records charts. The top recorded Sir Charles Thompson’s Robbins Nest Houdini tune, “Stone Cold Dead In De Market” song until it was topped by John Lennon’s first With Sonny Burke & His Orchestra (Ruth Poll–Nat Cole–Bill Harrington) ten artists during this period included names with Illinois Jacquet’s orchestra, adding in in 1946. Four years later, Ella and Oliver joined vocal with the Beatles eight years later. Decca 24708, mx WL 5098-A With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra such as Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra another scat/bop chorus after singing Jacquet’s forces on another novelty calypso, Peas And By the mid-1950s, it was apparent that Ella Recorded 20 July 1949, Los Angeles Decca 27602, mx W 80747-A and Dinah Shore, all of whom got their starts as lyrics. In the latter, Ella displays one of bebop’s Rice, a song which Decca A&R chief Milt Gabler Fitzgerald was going nowhere with Decca and Recorded 27 March 1951, New York big band singers. Ella Fitzgerald was no hallmarks: quoting a well-known song during her had purchased from one Mabel Pollard, of whom needed a career change. Still, the recordings 5. I Hadn’t Anyone Till You 2:59 different, catapulting herself from her success chorus, in this case, a snippet from nothing is known (Decca receptionist? Aspiring here show her doing her best with a variety of (Ray Noble) 11. Love You Madly 2:58 singing “Judy” in a 1934 amateur contest to “Humoresque”. Blue Lou, recorded in 1953, songwriter? Waitress at the corner soda shop?) songs, expanding her repertoire, and further With Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra and (Duke Ellington) scoring hits first for the Chick Webb orchestra also shows her superb bebop technique on a Despite her series of pop ballads recorded developing one of the most admired vocal styles Vocal Group With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra and Vocal and then, after Webb died, fronting the band song that had been in Chick Webb’s repertoire for Decca, Ella had started a second career as a in popular music. Decca 24900, mx W 75287-A Group herself. since 1934. jazz singer, beginning with her 1946 appearance Recorded 21 September 1949, New York Decca 27693, mx W 81077-A After the demise of the big bands, Ella was Decca Records, Ella’s label since she began on Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic tours. Cary Ginell – a winner of the 2004 ASCAP/Deems 6. A Man Wrote A Song 3:14 Recorded 24 May 1951, New York faced with a double-edged sword as to which recording with Chick Webb in 1936, was by now During this time, she fell under the influence of Taylor Award for music journalism (Dave Franklin) 12. Goody Goody 2:22 direction to take her career. On the one hand a proven pop powerhouse, and was not With Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra (Johnny Mercer–Matty Malneck) beckoned a promising future as a commercial interested in Ella becoming a full-fledged jazz Decca 24773, mx W 75290-A With Sy Oliver & His Orchestra and Vocal pop singer.