Ella: The Legendary Decca Recordings

~ Release by Ella Fitzgerald (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Annotation

Notes

A remarkable set (though possibly not appealing to the chronological maniacs), the presented material covers all the Decca period (unlike the Early Years set), assembled and selected with a lot of care, organized to demonstrate the (already) superior quality of some of the material that period produced (clearly invalidating the critics stance stating that only during the Verve period Ella was at her heights), and how they were relating and preluding to the later works.
Definitely a dig.
Note that this first disc was also issued standalone under the (sorry) title "Ella: The Best of Ella Fitzgerald".

Annotation last modified on 2016-03-23 03:04 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1A‐Tisket, A‐Tasket
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1938-05-02)
alto saxophone:
Louis Jordan (US jazz, blues and r&b musician and songwriter) (on 1938-05-02)
double bass:
Beverly Peer (on 1938-05-02)
drums (drum set):
Chick Webb (on 1938-05-02)
guitar:
Bobby Johnson (US guitarist) (on 1938-05-02)
piano:
Tommy Fulford (on 1938-05-02)
reeds:
Garvin Bushell (on 1938-05-02)
tenor saxophone:
Wayman Carver (on 1938-05-02) and Teddy McRae (on 1938-05-02)
trombone:
George Matthews (trombone) (on 1938-05-02), Nat Story (on 1938-05-02) and Sandy Williams (American jazz trombonist) (on 1938-05-02)
trumpet:
Mario Bauzá (on 1938-05-02), Taft Jordan (on 1938-05-02) and Bobby Stark (on 1938-05-02)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1938-05-02)
orchestra:
Chick Webb and His Orchestra (on 1938-05-02)
part of:
Grammy Hall of Fame (number: 1986)
recording of:
A‐Tisket, A‐Tasket (on 1938-05-02)
lyricist:
[traditional] (special purpose artist), Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) and Van Alexander (aka Al Feldman)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 13188)
Ella Fitzgerald32:39
2Undecided
cover recording of:
Undecided
lyricist:
Sid Robin (US lyricist & composer) (in 1938)
composer:
Charlie Shavers (in 1938)
Ella Fitzgerald3:21
3Stairway to the Stars
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer)
orchestra:
Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra
cover recording of:
Stairway to the Stars
lyricist:
Mitchell Parish
composer:
Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli
publisher:
EMI United Partnership Ltd. and Robbins Music (publishing company owned by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.)
Ella Fitzgerald3:18
4Five O’Clock Whistle
guitar:
Ulysses Livingston (on 1940-09-25)
reeds:
Pete Clark (Jazz altoist born around 1910) (on 1940-09-25), Chauncey Haughton (on 1940-09-25) and Sam Simmons (Jazz saxophonist) (on 1940-09-25)
trombone:
John McConnell (US jazz trombonist) (on 1940-09-25)
trumpet:
Irving Randolph (on 1940-09-25)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1940-09-25)
recording of:
Five O’Clock Whistle (on 1940-09-25)
writer:
Kim Gannon, Gene Irwin (aranger, writer) and Josef Myrow
Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra3:10
5Cow Cow Boogie
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1943-11-03)
orchestra:
The Ink Spots
cover recording of:
Cow Cow Boogie (on 1943-11-03)
composer:
Benny Carter, Gene de Paul and Don Raye
cover recording of:
Cow Cow Boogie (in 1943)
composer:
Benny Carter, Gene de Paul and Don Raye
Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots2:55
6Flying Home
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1945-10-04)
double bass:
Felix Globbe (American jazz (and classical) bassist.) (on 1945-10-04)
drums (drum set):
Irv Kluger (on 1945-10-04)
guitar:
Hy White (on 1945-10-04)
piano:
Moe Wechsler (on 1945-10-04)
saxophone:
Sid Cooper (flute & clarinet player) (on 1945-10-04) and Harry Feldman (on 1945-10-04)
trombone:
William Pritchard (on 1945-10-04)
trumpet:
Chuck Genduso (trumpeter) (on 1945-10-04)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (in 1945, on 1945-10-04)
orchestra:
Vic Schoen and His Orchestra (in 1945)
cover recording of:
Flying Home (sung/scat version, eg. by Ella Fitzgerald) (on 1945-10-04)
lyricist:
Sid Robin (US lyricist & composer)
composer:
Benny Goodman (clarinetist and bandleader) and Lionel Hampton
publisher:
Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers, Ltd and Regent Music (BMI)
version of:
Flying Home (instrumental version)
cover recording of:
Flying Home (instrumental version) (in 1945)
composer:
Benny Goodman (clarinetist and bandleader) and Lionel Hampton
publisher:
Ragbag Music (ASCAP) and Regent Music (BMI)
Ella Fitzgerald42:30
7Stone Cold Dead in the Market
cover recording of:
Stone Cold Dead in the Market (He Had It Coming)
lyricist and composer:
Houdini (Calypso artist Wilmoth Hendricks aka Edgar Leon Sinclair)
Louis Jordan & Ella Fitzgerald2:41
8You Won’t Be Satisfied Until You Break My Heart
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1946-01-18)
alto saxophone:
George Koenig (on 1946-01-18) and Bill Stegmeyer (on 1946-01-18)
baritone saxophone:
Milton Schatz (on 1946-01-18)
bass:
Trigger Alpert (on 1946-01-18)
clarinet and reeds:
Bill Stegmeyer (on 1946-01-18)
double bass:
Trigger Alpert (on 1946-01-18)
drums (drum set):
Cozy Cole (on 1946-01-18)
guitar:
Danny Perri (on 1946-01-18)
piano:
Joe Bushkin (on 1946-01-18)
solo trumpet:
Louis Armstrong
tenor saxophone:
Art Drelinger (on 1946-01-18) and Jack Greenberg (on 1946-01-18)
trumpet:
Louis Armstrong (on 1946-01-18) and Billy Butterfield (on 1946-01-18)
vocals:
Louis Armstrong (on 1946-01-18) and Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1946-01-18)
orchestra:
Bob Haggart and His Orchestra (on 1946-01-18)
conductor:
Bob Haggart (on 1946-01-18)
arranger:
Bob Haggart
cover recording of:
You Won’t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart) (on 1946-01-18)
writer:
Freddy James and Larry Stock
Ella Fitzgerald42:55
9I’m Just a Lucky So and So
cover recording of:
I’m Just a Lucky So and So (on 1946-02-21)
lyricist:
Mack David (American lyricist and songwriter) (in 1945)
composer:
Duke Ellington (US composer, pianist & jazz bandleader) (in 1945)
publisher:
Paramount Music Corporation and PolyGram International (renamed Universal PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. circa 1998)
Ella Fitzgerald2:57
10I Didn’t Mean a Word I Said
bass guitar:
Junior Raglin (bass)
drums (drum set):
Sonny Payne
guitar:
Jimmy Shirley
piano:
Billy Kyle
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer)
cover recording of:
I Didn’t Mean a Word I Said (on 1946-02-21)
lyricist:
Harold Adamson
composer:
Jimmy McHugh (songwriter)
Ella Fitzgerald3:20
11Oh, Lady Be Good
cover recording of:
Oh, Lady Be Good!
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin (in 1924)
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (in 1924)
publisher:
Chappell Music Ltd., George Gershwin Music, Ira Gershwin Music and WB Music Corp. (1929–2019) (until 2019-05-28)
part of:
American Splendor
part of:
Lady, Be Good (full musical)
Ella Fitzgerald3:09
12How High the Moon
cover recording of:
How High the Moon
lyricist:
Nancy Hamilton (in 1940)
composer:
Morgan Lewis (in 1940)
publisher:
Chappell (library/production music), Chappell & Co., Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA) and Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Ella Fitzgerald3:16
13My Happiness
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1948-04-30)
background vocals:
The Song Spinners
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1948-04-30)
cover recording of:
My Happiness (on 1948-04-30)
lyricist:
Borney Bergantine (in 1933) and Betty Peterson (in 1948)
composer:
Borney Bergantine (in 1933)
publisher:
Chappell Music (UK) and Happiness Music Corp.
Ella Fitzgerald3:19
14In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down
cover recording of:
In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down)
lyricist and composer:
Leroy Carr
Ella Fitzgerald2:39
15Smooth Sailing
bass guitar:
Arnold Fishkind (on 1951-06-26)
drums (drum set):
Johnny Blowers (on 1951-06-26)
guitar:
Everett Barksdale (on 1951-06-26)
background vocals:
The Ray Charles Singers (on 1951-06-26)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1951-06-26)
instrumental cover recording of:
Smooth Sailing (Instrumental) (on 1951-06-26)
composer:
Arnett Cobb
publisher:
Wayne Music (smooth sailing - Cobb)
Ella Fitzgerald43:07
16Airmail Special
bass guitar:
Ray Brown (jazz bassist)
drums (drum set):
Rudy Taylor (vocalist and songwriter)
electronic organ:
Bill Doggett
glockenspiel [bells]:
Dick Jacobs (arranger, musician and bandleader)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (in 1956)
orchestra:
The Ray Brown Trio (in 1952)
cover recording of:
Good Enough to Keep (Air Mail Special) (in 1956)
composer:
Charlie Christian, Benny Goodman (clarinetist and bandleader) and James R. Mundy
publisher:
Peter Maurice Music, PW 3 ASCAP Songs, Regent Music Corp. and Rytvoc, Inc. (ASCAP)
Ella Fitzgerald43:04
17You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini), Parts 1 & 2
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer)
orchestra:
Sy Oliver and His Orchestra
cover recording of:
You'll Have to Swing It (Mr Paganini)
writer:
Sam Coslow
Ella Fitzgerald5:12
18Blue Lou
cover recording of:
Blue Lou
composer:
Irving Mills and Edgar Sampson
Ella Fitzgerald2:48
19Lullaby of Birdland
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1954-06-04)
double bass:
Sandy Block (Jazz bassist, band leader) (on 1954-06-04)
drums (drum set):
Jimmy Crawford (US swing-era jazz drummer) (on 1954-06-04)
guitar:
Everett Barksdale (on 1954-06-04)
piano:
Hank Jones (piano) (on 1954-06-04)
tenor saxophone:
Sam “The Man” Taylor (US jazz/blues saxophonist 1916-1990) (on 1954-06-04)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer) (on 1954-06-04, in 1956)
orchestra:
Sy Oliver and His Orchestra (on 1954-06-04)
conductor:
Sy Oliver (on 1954-06-04)
cover recording of:
Lullaby of Birdland (George Shearing/George David Weiss (as B. Y. Forster) jazz standard) (on 1954-06-04)
lyricist:
B. Y. Forster (pseudonym of George David Weiss)
writer:
George David Weiss
composer:
George Shearing (British jazz pianist)
publisher:
EMI Longitude Music, Good Music Limited and Planetary Nom (London) Ltd.
sub-publisher:
ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング EMI外国事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., EMI Overseas Division, sub‐publisher for non‐Japanese works)
Ella Fitzgerald42:52
20Hard Hearted Hannah
bass guitar:
Joe Mondragon
drums (drum set):
Larry Bunker
piano:
Don Abney (US jazz pianist)
vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer)
cover recording of:
Hard Hearted Hannah
writer:
Milton Ager, Charles Bates, Bob Bigelow and Jack Yellen
composer:
Milton Ager, Charles Bates and Jack Yellen
Ella Fitzgerald2:59
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