| ||||||||||||||||||||||
MALL.ShopperFavorites.com
Best Prices
Shopper Favorites Web Search |
DVD : Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald Live in '57 and '63 |
- Everything you could want from Ella (except big band backup)My preference has always been for instrumental jazz, but Ella is one of the few jazz vocalists who caught and held my attention. I only had one opportunity to see this truly unique performer in concert - in front of the Count Basie band in the 1970s - so it's a joy to experience Ella performing live again through the miracle of modern technology.
The DVD presents two appearances, the first in a concert hall in Belgium in 1957 and the second in a Swedish television studio in 1963. Ella is on top of her game for both, and the selection of tunes makes for a great showcase of her talents. It's all here: her creative embellishments of the melody, her scat singing, and her occasional use of improvised lyrics to add local flavor or pay tribute to other jazz artists.
It would be difficult to pick which of these two dates was the better performance. Overall, her interpretive powers are better displayed in the 1963 show, especially in fabulous renditions of "No Moon At All," "Runnin' Wild," "Georgia On My Mind," and "Mack the Knife." But the 1957 concert has many special moments that are not to be missed. "Lullaby of Birdland" is an up-tempo swinger that is the best vocal version of this tune you're ever likely to hear. "April in Paris" pays homage to the Basie arrangement that was destined to become a classic. Ella has some fun with "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" where she does an excellent impersonation of Louis Armstrong. The concert closes with Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," complete with scat choruses and great solo work from Herb Ellis on guitar and Oscar Peterson on piano.
The only other thing I'd like to see to complete the Ella experience is concert video of "The First Lady of Song" in front of a big band. Maybe the Jazz Icons series can find enough old footage for a second Ella DVD.
Rating:
- Wow, Ella! This DVD is a treat to view. I've watched it a number of times and revisit it to learn and enjoy. Ella delivers with gusto and heart in both concerts (Belgium and Sweden). In each concert she delivers a singing impression of Louis Armstrong that is a loving and playful tribute. Here is entertainment and music making at its best. The enclosed booklet is an informative read, complete with rarely seen photos, and begins with a loving tribute from Ella's son, Ray Brown Jr. Thanks to Jazz Icons for making this available.
Also, Ray Brown's bass playing in the Belgium concert is not to be missed. He proves himself to be not only supportive, but inventive and masterful. Jo Jones plays and looks as if there is no better place in the world to be and the band synergy is great to see and hear.
Rating:
- PricelessElla Fitzgerald was the great classical actress of the great jazz singers. The Belgium concert is just stunning, Ella at her absolute best in her prime. Polite, deeply grounded, she hardly moves, just that great voice coming out of that almost impassive face, a deep well with a placid surface. Very much like John Gielgud in one of his Shakespeare roles on stage (which I was lucky enough to see once).
The second concert is very good too, though her upper register was a little hoarse by then. She actually does the twist at one point, her thick body out of sync with her voice's rhythms. The "Mack the Knife" is stellar.
Her backup bands on both are wonderful to watch as well, great talents who aren't suffering as you often see lesser actors or musicians do on stage, enjoying the hell out making such wonderful sounds, happy to be behind a talent like hers. Even the audience shots on the Belgian film are fascinating, intense and rapt deadly serious devotees who burst into staccato applause at odd moments.
Let this series keep digging and hope there is more out there.
Rating:
- Pure Ella, Pure BrillianceThis DVD is priceless!!!!! The quality is excellent. If you want to own a piece of fine art get this dvd, Ella is just a genius man. The 1957 concert displays the concert experience like nothing I ever seen from that era. The musicians are just into her and you can tell they are trying to challenge her. But she can't be out done. She rises higher, song after song. Then the 1963 conert is just Ella at superstar status. You can tell with is one that she has nothing to prove. So she's just herself, having fun with her trio and sounding like an angel. But this DVD!!!!
Terrance Gassaway
Rating:
- The Ella disc I've been waiting for!I've purchased all of Ella's available concert DVD's and they're all worth having, but this one is from a period in her career when she was pretty much omnipotent. The '57 concert in Belgium, in particular, with Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jo Jones and an appearance by Oscar Peterson on "It Don't Mean a Thing...", shows her in flawless form. Not a lot of show business by today's standards, she just stands there and sings as beautifully as any human ever has...who could ask for anything more?
MALL.ShopperFavorites.com
|