120765bk Ella4 16/3/05 8:55 PM Page 8 The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. Available in the Naxos Nostalgia & Jazz Legends series … Nostalgia 8.120546 Nostalgia 8.120624 Jazz Legends 8.120714 Jazz Legends 8.120716 Jazz Legends 8.120735 Jazz legends 8.120750 These titles are not available in the USA NAXOS RADIO Over 70 Channels of Classical Music • Jazz, Folk/World, Nostalgia www.naxosradio.com Accessible Anywhere, Anytime • Near-CD Quality 120765bk Ella4 16/3/05 8:55 PM Page 2 ELLA FITZGERALD Vol.4 Personnel Track 1: Johnny McGhee, trumpet; Bill Doggett, Track 10: The Song Spinners (possibly Margaret ‘Ella And Company’ Original Recordings 1943-1951 piano; Bernie Mackay, guitar; Bob Haggart, Johnson, Travis Johnson, Leonard Stokes, Bella bass; Johnny Blowers, drums; The Ink Spots Allen), vocal (Bill Kenny, Charles Fuqua, Deek Watson, Track 11: Aaron Izenhall, trumpet; Louis Ella Fitzgerald’s life story is well-known by jazz successful focus of the music industry. Some Hoppy Jones), vocal aficionados; how she won an amateur contest in pop-leaning singers, like Dinah Shore and Perry Jordan, alto sax, vocal; Eddie Johnson, tenor Track 2: The Ink Spots (Bill Kenny, Charles sax; Bill Davis, piano; Carl Hogan, guitar; 1934 singing “Judy” and “The Object of My Como, thrived in the decade following the end of Fuqua, Deek Watson, Hoppy Jones), vocal Dallas Bartley, bass; Christopher Columbus, Affection” and idolizing vocalist Connie Boswell; the war. But jazz-oriented singers often found bass her early years as the girl singer with Chick nowhere to go; a few went along with the bebop Track 3: Renee de Knight, piano; Hy White, Webb’s orchestra; and her taking Webb’s place trend, but many could not adapt to the new pop- guitar; Haig Stephens, bass; George Wettling, Track 12: The Mills Brothers (Herbert Mills, upon his untimely death in 1939. But this was oriented milieu. This was where Ella Fitzgerald bass; The Delta Rhythm Boys (probably Carl Harry Mills, Donald Mills & John Mills Sr.), only the first stage in a career that lasted over a showed her tremendous versatility and staying Jones, Traverse Crawford, Kelsey Pharr, Lee vocal & unknown accompaniment half-century and saw the shy singer from power, proving that she could excel in the Gaines), vocal Track 13: Aaron Izenhall, trumpet; Louis Yonkers, New York become the most celebrated commercial world as a solo performer. Tracks 4 & 5: Aaron Izenhall, trumpet; Louis Jordan, alto sax, vocal; Josh Jackson, tenor sax; female vocalist in jazz history. Venturing forth as a solo artist, Ella was Jordan, alto sax, vocal; Josh Jackson, tenor sax; Wild Bill Davis or Bill Doggett, organ; Dallas Ella is best known for her series of backed initially by the Webb band’s rhythm Bill Davis, piano; Carl Hogan, guitar; Jesse Bartley, guitar; Bob Bushnell, bass; Christopher ‘Songbook’ album tributes to American section. She made a few more records before the “Po” Simpkins, Eddie Byrd, drums; Harry Dial, Columbus, bass songwriting greats such as Cole Porter, Rodgers American Federation of Musicians’ recording ban maracas; Vic Lourie, claves Tracks 14 & 15: SY OLIVER & HIS ORCHESTRA. & Hart, and the Gershwin Brothers, all recorded halted recording featuring Union musicians. Tracks 6 & 7: BOB HAGGART & HIS Louis Armstrong, trumpet, vocal; Paul Webster, under the aegis of producer/impresario Norman Upon settling with the union in 1943, Decca ORCHESTRA. Louis Armstrong, trumpet, vocal; trumpet; Hank d’Amico, clarinet; Frank Granz for Verve Records in the 1950s. However, Records was at first unsure what to do with the Billy Butterfield, trumpet; Bill Stegmeyer, Ludwig, tenor sax; Hank Jones, piano; Everett it was the preceding decade that established Ella talented young singer. With a penchant for cross- clarinet, alto sax; George Koenig, alto sax; Jack Barksdale, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Johnny as a premier interpreter of popular music, as well pollinating its contracted artists, Decca decided Greenberg, Art Drellinger, tenor sax; Milton Blowers, drums as her most commercially successful years. to pair Ella with some of the label’s other Schatz, baritone sax; Joe Bushkin, piano; Danny Track 16: The Day Dreamers, vocal, with In July 1941, the draft and the coming of personalities and vocal groups. Until the end of Perri, guitar; Trigger Alpert, bass; Cozy Cole, unknown accompaniment drums World War II ended Ella’s two-year stint as her tenure with Decca in 1955, Ella Fitzgerald Tracks 17-20: DAVE BARBOUR & HIS leader of the Webb orchestra. The jazz industry alternated her solo performances with combined Tracks 8 & 9: Renee de Knight, piano; Jimmy ORCHESTRA. Larry Neill, trumpet; Louis was in a state of flux at the conclusion of the efforts with Decca’s stable of stars. Shirley, guitar; Lamont Moten, bass; Eddie Armstrong, trumpet, vocal; Frank Howard, war. The big bands, which had thrived during the The Ink Spots was one of the most successful “The Mole” Bourne, drums; The Delta Rhythm trombone; Jack Dumont, Chuck Gentry, Heinie war, now found it difficult to stay together, due of the all-male vocal quartets that got started in Boys (probably Carl Jones, Traverse Crawford, Beau, saxes; Hank Jones, piano; Ray Brown, in part to increasing costs and changes in the the 1930s on the heels of the sensational Mills Kelsey Pharr, Lee Gaines), vocal bass; Alvin Stoller, drums American societal landscape. As the bands Brothers. At first, the group emulated the Mills dissipated, their vocalists emerged as the next Brothers’ talent for imitating musical 2 8.120765 8.120765 7 120765bk Ella4 16/3/05 8:55 PM Page 6 13. Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own 18. Would You Like to Take a Walk? 3:16 instruments, but eventually developed a style of Mills Brothers, the group, consisting of Lee (‘Tain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do) 3:11 (Mort Dixon–Billy Rose–Harry Warren) their own, focusing on lead tenor Bill Kenny and Gaines, Carl Jones, Kelsey Pharr, and Traverse (Porter Grainger–Everett Robbins) With Louis Armstrong & Dave Barbour’s baritone Orville “Hoppy” Jones. At her first Crawford bridged the gap between the Mills With Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five Orchestra session after the end of the recording ban in Brothers and doo-wop vocal groups of the Decca 27200, mx W 76731-A Decca 28552, mx WL 6528-A 1943, Ella and the Ink Spots recorded Cow Cow 1950s. Their recording with Ella of (I Love You) Recorded 15 August 1950, New York Recorded 23 November 1951, Los Angeles Boogie, which had been a pre-ban hit for Freddie For Sentimental Reasons was one of seven 14. Can Anyone Explain? (No! No! No!) 3:09 19. Necessary Evil 2:32 Slack and Ella Mae Morse. Fitzgerald’s birdlike versions that charted during 1946 and 1947. (Benny Benjamin–George Weiss) (Redd Evans) voice contrasted nicely with Hoppy Jones’ spoken We have included one performance teaming With Louis Armstrong & Sy Oliver’s Orchestra With Louis Armstrong & Dave Barbour’s chorus (“that cat was raised on loco weed!”). Ella Fitzgerald with the Mills Brothers: the lovely Decca 27209, mx W 76751-A Orchestra The result sold well enough that Decca spent ballad I Gotta Have My Baby Back, which was Recorded 25 August 1950, New York Decca 27901, mx WL 6526-A much of the next decade teaming Ella with its written by country honky-tonk singer/songwriter Recorded 23 November 1951, Los Angeles 15. Dream a Little Dream of Me 3:03 top vocal groups as well as colourful jazz Floyd Tillman. (Gus Kahn–Wilbur Schwandt–Fabian Andree) 20. Oops! 3:12 personalities such as Louis Armstrong and Louis Of all the solo performers Ella teamed with With Louis Armstrong & Sy Oliver’s Orchestra (Johnny Mercer–Harry Warren) Jordan; most of the sessions helmed by Decca during this period, Louis Armstrong provided the Decca 27209, mx W 76750-A With Louis Armstrong & Dave Barbour’s producer Milt Gabler. most creative spark. We’ve included eight sides Recorded 25 August 1950, New York Orchestra In comparison with the Ink Spots, the Song featuring Ella and Satchmo, most of them 16. That Old Feeling 2:25 Decca 27901, mx WL 6527-A Spinners was a relatively colorless yet competent ballads, among them the wistful Dream a Little Recorded 23 November 1951, Los Angeles (Lew Brown–Sammy Fain) vocal group that got a career boost due to the Dream of Me (a revival of Wayne King’s 1931 With The Day Dreamers & instrumental Transfers & Production: David Lennick absence of musicians in the recording studios hit), The Frim Fram Sauce (Nat ‘King’ Cole’s accompaniment during the AFM ban. In 1943 they became exercise in culinary double-talk) and Oops!, the Digital Restoration: Graham Newton Decca 28049, mx W 74301-A frequent accompanists for vocalist Dick Haymes. latter one of Johnny Mercer’s lesser-known lyrics. Recorded 18 December 1947, New York Original 78s from the collections of David The following year, they backed Ella in her The highlights of these exquisite duets come Lennick, John Rutherford and The Belfer Audio 17. Who Walks In when I Walk Out? 2:18 recording of Stan Kenton’s And Her Tears when Louis sings and Ella chimes in with her Laboratory & Archive, Syracuse University (Al Goodhart–Al Hoffman–Ralph Freed) Flowed Like Wine. Five years later, Gabler took melodic wordless fills.