ELLA FITZGERALD - BEST OF THE BIG BAND SESSIONS LP

Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald’s paths had surely crossed many times during the Thirties, Forties and early Fifties (and there is that beautiful Herman Leonard picture of Duke and Benny Goodman listening to Ella sing at the Downbeat club in New York in 1949). However, no recorded trace of the two legendary musicians collaborating together exists until 1957, when they would come together to produce a series of sessions which include the music on this LP. It may seem incredible that not a single previous air shot of Ella with Ellington survives, but Duke had a tight band and didn’t frequently play with musicians outside of his orchestra. Ella, on the other hand, after coming to fame with the Chick Webb orchestra in the late Thirties, was taken under Norman Granz’s wing and didn’t usually record with other artists than those under contract with Granz (which included many of the best jazzmen of all time). In any case, it was also under Granz’s supervision that the Ella-Duke project came to light, and we must be thankful for that. Although Ellington admired Ella, he was on a tight concert schedule by this point and didn’t have a lot of free time for composing new music or making specific arrangements for these dates, which were going to be inscribed in the “songbook” formula that had proven so successful for Ella so far. Therefore, most of the arranging and much of the piano playing ended up in the capable hands of Ellington’s partner and co-composer Billy Strayhorn. As Stuart Nicholson wrote in his biography of Ella: “While the Rodgers & Hart Songbook was being completed in early September, Granz began putting plans in place to record a Duke Ellington Songbook. But getting Duke himself into the studios to complete the sessions proved difficult; his busy schedule seemed unceasing, and it was not until the end of June 1957 that Granz secured him and his orchestra for four days.” Ella and Duke wouldn’t collaborate again until 1965, when they made (again for Granz) the LP Ella at Duke’s Place. This would lead to a long 1966-67 tour including both Ella and Duke. Usually Ellington played a set with his band, then Ella sang backed by her own trio, and at the end she performed a few songs with Duke and his orchestra. Many of these concerts were recorded, and at least one (in Antibes) was filmed by Granz himself. Ella and Duke’s last recorded performance together is a July 1, 1967 concert at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles.

TRACKLIST

• 1. Rockin' In Rhythm (Duke Ellington-Harry Carney)
• 2. Drop Me Off In Harlem (Duke Ellington-Charles & Nick Kenny)
• 3. Day Dream (Billy Strayhorn-John Latouche)
• 4. Caravan (Duke Ellington-Juan Tizol-Irving Mills)
• 5. I Didn't Know About You (Duke Ellington-Bob Russell)
• 6. Take the "A" Train (Billy Strayhorn)
• 7. I'm Beginning To See the Light (Duke Ellington-Johnny Hodges
• 8. Perdido (Juan Tizol-Hans Lengsfelder-Ervin Drake)
• 9. I'm Just a Lucky So and So (Duke Ellington-Mack David)
• 10. All Too Soon (Duke Ellington-Carl Sigman)
• 11. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) (Duke Ellington-Paul Fran
• 12. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn)