The Best Of The Song Books: The Ballads (CD)

• Category:  Music  »  Jazz  »  Classic Jazz Vocals
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: July 26, 1994
• Label: Verve (USA)
• UPC: 731452186720
• WAPI (Tower ID): 105798058
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• Tower.com Sales Rank: #53148 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #4246 in Jazz (See Top 100 Jazz Bestsellers)
• #117 in Classic Jazz Vocals (See Top 100 Classic Jazz Vocals Bestsellers)

Personnel includes: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Nelson Riddle (arranger, conductor); Russell Procope (alto saxophone, clarinet); Plas Johnson (tenor saxophone); Shorty Sherock (trumpet); Britt Woodman, Tommy Pederson (trombone); John Cave (French horn); Buddy Collette (flute); Gerald Vinci, Sidney Sharp (violin); David Sterkin, Paul Robyn (viola); Eleanor Slatkin (cello); Corky Hale (harp); Paul Smith (piano); Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis (guitar); Joe Mondragon (bass); Frank Flynn, Alvin Stoller (drums).

Includes liner notes by James Gavin.

Though her career stretched from the '30s to the '80s and she's widely considered possibly the greatest female jazz singer or all time, Ella Fitzgerald will probably forever be best known for a mid-'50s collection of albums collectively called the Songbooks, where she devoted entire albums to the works of such composers as Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. THE BEST OF THE SONGBOOKS: THE BALLADS is one of the many compilations based on these recordings, and one of the best.

From its beautiful, informative packaging to its gorgeously remastered sound, this 16-track, 64-minute collection treats the material with the respect it deserves. The material, of course, is first-rate, wall-to-wall standards from Johnny Mercer's wistful "Laura" to Ellington's sly "Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me." Fitzgerald's performances are equally outstanding, as are the mostly big-band arrangements. This is as good as jazz ballad collections get.

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