Ella Fitzgerald - The Very Best of the Song Books

Title: The Very Best of the Song Books Artist: Ella Fitzgerald Release Date: 12/5/2006 Label: Verve Album Type(s): Greatest Hits UPC: 602517052383 Genre: Vocal Music Styles: American Popular Song, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Jazz Moods: Elegant, Exuberant, Joyous, Playful, Springlike, Amiable/Good-Natured, Bright, Carefree, Cheerful, Effervescent, Energetic, Intimate, Refined/Mannered, Romantic, Rousing, Soothing, Sweet, Bittersweet, Boisterous, Fun, Gentle, Lively, Reflective, Sentimental, Sophisticated, Stylish, Warm, Autumnal, Aggressive, Brash, Confident, Happy, Lush, Poignant Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 2

1. Night and Day
2. I Get a Kick out of You
3. Begin the Beguine
4. Love for Sale
5. My Funny Valentine
6. The Lady Is a Tramp
7. Where or When
8. Take the 'A' Train
9. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
10. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
11. Cheek to Cheek

1. Blue Skies
2. 'S Wonderful
3. Embraceable You
4. I Got Rhythm
5. The Man I Love
6. Blues in the Night
7. Over the Rainbow
8. That Old Black Magic
9. All the Things You Are
10. Skylark
11. Too Marvelous for Words

Year Type Label Catalog # 2006 CD Verve 0007423

No other editions were found for this album.

Considered near the pinnacle of vocal jazz (along with Frank Sinatra's string of Capitol LPs), Ella Fitzgerald's eight Verve songbooks codified the canon of american popular song (uppercased) and continued to prove the best venue for learning what that phrase meant even 50 years after its genesis. (It's no wonder that the series even caused no less a figure than Ira Gershwin to amend the Constitution, so to speak, and suggest for Fitzgerald alone a few changes in the lyrics of his classics.) Despite their high pedigree, however, the songbooks are difficult to approach. Few of them shine much brighter than the others, and for a long period of the digital era they were available only in a gigantic box set or in radically altered reissues (the latter minus the remastering). That was rectified -- very gradually -- beginning in the late '90s, but The Very Best of the Song Books earns high marks because of how well it teases out the best material from the original 13 LPs. The Ella Fitzgerald version of these songs did not usually follow along with the standard versions of these fine old warhorses; her "Love for Sale" is surprisingly tender, and countless times she seems to follow a different trajectory with the notes she sings ("Where or When" is a perfect example). Meanwhile, the arrangers Buddy Bregman, Paul Weston, Nelson Riddle, and Billy May were unparalleled in their ability to spin new arrangements out of the occasional tired sheet. There's only one odd characteristic to The Very Best of the Song Books -- its length. It lasts only an hour-and-a-half, although it appears on two discs, which would allow room for more than an hour of additional music. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Name Credits Abe Most Clarinet Alex Beller Violin Alex Neimann Viola Alvin Dinkin Viola Alvin Stoller Drums Armand Karpoff Cello Arnold Koblentz Oboe Babe Russin Woodwind, Sax (Tenor) Barbara Simons Viola Barney Kessel Guitar Ben Webster Sax (Tenor) Benny Carter Sax (Alto) Benny Gill Violin Bill Richmond Drums Billy May Arranger, Accompaniment, Conductor Billy Strayhorn Arranger Bob Cooper Sax (Tenor), Oboe, Horn (English) Bob Irwin Mastering Britt Woodman Trombone Bryan Koniarz Supervisor Bud Shank Sax (Alto), Flute Buddy Bregman Arranger, Conductor Buddy Bregman & Orchestra Accompaniment Buddy Collette Flute, Woodwind Buddy DeFranco Clarinet Cappy Lewis Trumpet Carroll Lewis Trumpet Cat Anderson Trumpet Champ Webb Woodwind Chuck Gentry Bassoon, Clarinet (Bass), Woodwind, Sax (Baritone) Clark Terry Trumpet Conrad Gozzo Trumpet Corky Hale Harp Dale McMickle Trumpet Dan Lube Violin David Sterkin Viola Dick Nash Trombone Dick Noel Trombone Dizzy Gillespie Trumpet Don Fagerquist Trumpet Duke Ellington Piano Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Accompaniment Eddie Kusby Trombone Edgar Lustgarten Cello Eleanor Slatkin Cello Elizabeth Greenschpoon Cello Ella Fitzgerald Vocals Emil Radocchia Percussion Erno Neufeld Violin Eudice Shapiro Violin Felix Slatkin Concert Master Frank Beach Trumpet Frank Emilio Flynn Percussion, Drums Frank Foster Sax (Tenor) Fred Stulce Woodwind Gene Cipriano Woodwind George Clinton Smith Clarinet George Neikrug Cello George Price French Horn George Roberts Trombone (Bass) George Seaberg Trumpet Gerald Vinci Violin Gilbert Falco Trombone Harold Baker Trumpet Harry "Sweets" Edison Trumpet Harry Carney Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone) Harry Klee Flute, Woodwind Henry Hill Violin Herb Ellis Guitar Herb Geller Sax (Alto), Clarinet Hollis King Art Direction Howard Terry Bassoon Irving Cottler Drums Isabelle Wong Design Israel Baker Violin Jacques Gasselin Violin James A. Decker French Horn James Arkatov Cello James Gavin Liner Notes James Getzoff Violin Jayme Pieruzzi Mastering Jim Salvati Illustrations Jimmy Hamilton Clarinet, Sax (Tenor) Jimmy Priddy Trombone Jimmy Woode Bass Joe Comfort Bass Joe Howard Trombone Joe Koch Woodwind Joe Mondragon Bass Joe Stepansky Violin Joe Triscari Trumpet John Audino Trumpet John Cave French Horn John McClanian Best Jr. Trumpet John Sanders Trombone (Valve) Johnny Hodges Sax (Alto) Joseph Livoti Violin Juan Tizol Trombone (Valve) Jule Kinzler Flute Justin Gordon Woodwind Karl de Karske Trombone (Bass) Kathyrine Julye Harp Kurt Reher Cello Lloyd Ulyate Trombone Lloyd W. Hildebrand Bassoon Lou Levy Piano Lou Raderman Violin Louis Kievman Viola Manny Klein Trumpet Marshall Sosson Violin Matty Matlock Woodwind Maurice Stein Sax (Alto) Maynard Ferguson Trumpet Milt Bernhart Trombone Milt Holland Glockenspiel Mischa Russell Concert Master Murray Kellner Violin Nathan Ross Violin Nelson Riddle Conductor, Arranger Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra Accompaniment Norman Benno Oboe Norman Granz Audio Production, Producer Paul "Scooby" Smith Piano, Arranger Paul Gonsalves Sax (Tenor) Paul Robyn Viola Paul Shure Violin Paul Weston Conductor, Arranger Paul Weston & His Orchestra Accompaniment Pete Candoli Trumpet Plas Johnson Sax (Tenor) Quentin Jackson Trombone Ray Kramer Cello Ray Linn Trumpet Ray Nance Trumpet Red Callender Tuba Richard Perissi French Horn Richard Seidel Selection, Sequencing Robert Bain Guitar Robert LaMarchina Cello Ronnie Lang Sax (Alto) Russell Procope Sax (Alto), Clarinet Sam Woodyard Drums Sarah Huo Project Assistant Seymour Schoneberg Oboe Shorty Sherock Trumpet Sidney Sharp Violin Stanley Harris Viola Stuff Smith Violin Ted Nash Woodwind, Flute, Sax (Tenor) Tommy Pederson Trombone Tommy Shepard Trombone Veryle Brilhart Harp Victor Arno Violin Victor Bay Violin Vincent DeRosa French Horn Virginia Majewski Viola Vito Mangano Trumpet Walter Edelstein Violin Wilbur Schwartz Woodwind Wilfred Middlebrooks Bass William Hinshaw French Horn William Schaefer Trombone William Smith Woodwind Willie Cook Trumpet