Search - Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong :: Compact Jazz (Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong)

Can't get much better than this!

Mary Whipple | New England | 07/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong both performing at the peak of their careers, and with "backup" played by Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson, the listener can enjoy seven of the greats of jazz, all having fun on the same album. Recorded between 1956-57 and digitally remastered in 1988, Ella's voice is bright, clear, and smooth, able to respond to whatever demands Ella makes of it, while Louis's is growly, gravelly, and operating at its limits. They provide a wonderful counterpoint to each other, while their accompanying musicians add color and a lively swing beat. But then, with stars like these, how can you lose? In "They Can't Take That Away From Me," Ella begins in a bright swing tempo while Louis plays muted trumpet in the background, then the two alternate solos. "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good" is a vampy number with Louis soloing on the trumpet, Peterson and Rich accompanying, and Ella joining them halfway through. "It Ain't Necessarily So" features both stars singing scat, with Louis's soaring trumpet, and Peterson on the piano. "A Foggy Day," one of the best songs on the album, features Oscar Peterson's memorable and simple piano--with Ella improvising and Louis on trumpet.All these musicians obviously respect each other, trust each other, and listen to each other, creating a unified sound from the disparate talents each brings to the studio. Best of all, it is obvious that they are having real fun together, and the listener will join them in that fun. Mary Whipple"

An evergreen album

Roy Gordon | Berkeley, CA USA | 11/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just a terrific album. They are so together and in sync, backed by all star musicians. Incredibly beautiful trumpet by Armstrong on Summertime. An evergreen album. You can't go wrong."

The Ella & Louis hour

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 02/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The COMPACT JAZZ series reunites Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald with samples from their classic 1956-'57 VERVE sessions. These two scat singers couldn't have been more opposite vocally, and yet the combination worked fabulously. Armstrong with his ruined lip still was an expressive vocalist, while Ella was in her singing prime.



The program is weighted with Gershwin tunes. The reason is some material here was drawn from the twosome's PORGY & BESS LP, while the other Gershwin standards were scattered between the ELLA AND LOUIS and ELLA AND LOUIS AGAIN albums. This is a fine early-stereophonic collection of standards performed by two of 20th Century's best. Highly recommended.



TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 57:45"