For someone referred to as "the Queen of Jazz" and "First Lady of Song", there's a surprising amount we don't know about legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. She didn't fit the image of a star: she was incredibly polite, avoided drugs and swearing, and kept her private life entirely private. But when she sang, people listened. Her clear diction, perfect intonation and master of scat singing made her one of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century.
Music historian and author of Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song Judith Tick reveals as much as she can about the great singer.
Music heard in the show:
Title: Lover, Come Back to MeArtist: Ella FitzgeraldComposer: Sigmund Romberg (music), Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics)Album: Sweet And HotLabel: Decca DL8155
Title: A-Tisket, A-TasketArtist: Ella Fitzgerald & the Chick Webb OrchestraComposer: trad., embellished by Ella Fitzgerald and Al FeldmanAlbum: A-Tisket, A-TasketLabel: Decca S8140
Title: Oh, Lady Be GoodArtist: Ella FitzgeraldComposer: George Gershwin, Ira GershwinAlbum: Lullabies of Birdland Label: Decca DL8149
Title: Oh, Lady Be GoodArtist: Ella FitzgeraldComposer: George Gershwin (music), Ira Gershwin (lyrics)Album: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George & Ira Gershwin SongbookLabel: Verve MG V-4029
Title: Ev’ry Time We Say GoodbyeArtist: Ella FitzgeraldComposer: Cole PorterAlbum: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter SongbookLabel: Verve MG V-4001
Title: Cheek to CheekArtist: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis ArmstrongComposer: Irving BerlinAlbum: Ella & LouisLabel: Verve MG V-4003
Title: Mack the KnifeArtist: Ella FitzgeraldComposer: Kurt WeillAlbum: Mack the Knife: Ella in BerlinLabel: Verve MG V-4041
Title: Cry Me A RiverArtist: Ella Fitzgerald & Joe PassComposer: Arthur HamiltonAlbum: Duets in Hannover 1975Label: Impro-Jazz IJ 546
Technical production by Simon Branthwaite, Tim James and Roi Huberman
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country