Details
Track Listing
THE BEST OF THE SONGBOOKS: THE BALLADS:
1. Oh, Lady Be Good!
2. I'm Old Fashioned
3. Laura
4. Day-Dream
5. Easy to Love
6. It Was Written in the Stars
7. How Long Has This Been Going On?
8. Let's Begin
9. Now It Can Be Told
10. There's a Small Hotel
11. Do Nothing till You Hear From Me
12. Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good)
13. You're Laughing at Me
14. Ship Without a Sail, A
15. Trav'lin' Light
16. This Time the Dream's on Me
| Details | | Producer: | Norman Granz | | Distributor: | Universal Distribution | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Mixed | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes
Personnel includes: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Nelson Riddle (arranger, conductor); Russell Procope (alto saxophone, clarinet); Plas Johnson (tenor saxophone); Shorty Sherock (trumpet); Britt Woodman, Tommy Pederson (trombone); John Cave (French horn); Buddy Collette (flute); Gerald Vinci, Sidney Sharp (violin); David Sterkin, Paul Robyn (viola); Eleanor Slatkin (cello); Corky Hale (harp); Paul Smith (piano); Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis (guitar); Joe Mondragon (bass); Frank Flynn, Alvin Stoller (drums).
Includes liner notes by James Gavin.
Though her career stretched from the '30s to the '80s and she's widely considered possibly the greatest female jazz singer or all time, Ella Fitzgerald will probably forever be best known for a mid-'50s collection of albums collectively called the Songbooks, where she devoted entire albums to the works of such composers as Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. THE BEST OF THE SONGBOOKS: THE BALLADS is one of the many compilations based on these recordings, and one of the best.
From its beautiful, informative packaging to its gorgeously remastered sound, this 16-track, 64-minute collection treats the material with the respect it deserves. The material, of course, is first-rate, wall-to-wall standards from Johnny Mercer's wistful "Laura" to Ellington's sly "Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me." Fitzgerald's performances are equally outstanding, as are the mostly big-band arrangements. This is as good as jazz ballad collections get.
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