"The Lost Berlin Tapes" is a previously unissued Ella Fitzgerald recording that came from Verve Records founder Norman Granz's private collection. It was recorded at Berlin's Sportpalast on March 25, 1962, with Ella accompanied by the trio of pianist Paul Smith, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. It was recorded a little over two years after the February 1960 concert that became one of her best-known and best-selling records, the Grammy Award winning "Mack The Knife: Ella in Berlin."
Ella is in good spirits here and with little duplication of the earlier Berlin show ("Summertime" and "Mack the Knife"). Things kick off with a spirited "Cheek to Cheek" with an appreciative audience evident throughout. She playfully incorporates the names of Sinatra, Eckstine, Belafonte, Perry Como, Count Basie, and others into the lyrics of "My Kind of Boy." The accompaniment is sublime as expected, and even a drum solo from Levey on "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!" There are songs associated with Julie London ( a dramatic "Cry Me a River"), Ray Charles (a playful "Hallelujah, I Love Him So"), and Billie Holiday ("Good Morning Heartache")."
Particular favorite selections include the ebullient "Jersey Bounce," with her scintillating scatting; the thoughtful "Someone to Watch Over Me," and "Taking a Chance on Love," where Smith's dazzling accompaniment matches her horn-like phrasing. Others will undoubtedly find other selections to be of equal or greater appeal. Let listeners be thankful that we have this marvelous new addition to Ella's discography.
I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is Mack the Knife" from this recording.
As the title of this new Concord Jazz album indicates, this recording is of the October 22, 2016 celebration at the famed Apollo Theater of the Ella Fitzgerald centennial. Included here are performances of songs that still are associated with the "First Lady of Song" by an All-Star Cast.
David Allen Grier and Patti Austin hosted and performed at this concert with the music provided by the Count Basie Orchestra (augmented by strings) and the Ella 100 All-Star Quartet giving support. There was quite a cast of performers besides Grier and Austin, including Andra Day, Lizz Wright, Ayo, and Afro Blue from Howard University, Cassandra Wilson, Ledisi, and Monica Mancini (accompanied by guitarist Brian Nova. The accompanying booklet has liner notes from jazz and pop vocal music authority Will Friedwald, and Greg Field, who produced this concert. Full personnel for the performances is also provided in the booklet.
The celebration opened with an imagined recreation of Ella's legendary appearance at the Apollo's weekly amateur talent contest on November 21, 1934. Ayodele Owolabi (Ayo) of Afro Blue plays the young Ella Fitzgerald with David Allen Grier playing the role of Ralph Cooper, the Apollo's first amateur night host. To this listener, it is enjoyable if a bit awkward. It does serve as an intro to the evening that Grier introduces before introducing his fellow host, Patti Austin. Austin, with the Basie Orchestra, launches into vibrant renditions of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," and then "When I Get Low I Get High," with her wondrous intonation and phrasing.
Andra Day was a special guest that night and provided a deeply reflective rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'" with a luscious backing from the Basie Orchestra and strings. Austin introduces her co-host Grier, who, backed by the Basie Orchestra, sings a wonderful interpretation of "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me." I was unaware Grier played Sportin' Life in an acclaimed revival of "Porgy and Bess." Still, his warm baritone evokes the great Ellington male singers such as Herb Jeffries and Al Hibbler, with the Basie Band outstanding recreating the Oliver Nelson and Sam Nestico arrangement. Basie Orchestra bandleader Scotty Barnhart takes a marvelous trumpet solo.
The All-Star quartet, led by pianist Shelly Berg, has a sparkling backing for Lizz Wright behind her horn-like phrasing for Ellington's "Love You Madly." Berg, guitarist Brian Nova, and bassist Nathan East take solos on this. Wright mesmerizes on her unaccompanied intro to "The Nearness of You," before the Quartet enters. Like the other performances, there is love and appreciation for Ella but distilled through each artist's own musical approach. This is evident from the outstanding interpretation of "Lady Be Good" by Ayo and Afro Blue with some striking scatting. Afro Blue and the Basie Orchestra provides support for Austin on a sublime "How High the Moon," with breath-taking scatting.
After an intermission, the Count Basie Orchestra swings Frank Foster's arrangement of "Back to the Apollo! (Apple)," with tenor saxophonist Doug Lawrence soloing. Then, in tribute to the Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong duets, Austin and Grier provide their versions of "I Loves You Porgy/ That's a Boat Leaving' Soon for New York." Their vocals are caressed by the enhanced Basie Orchestra with a masterful solo from Barnhart. There is a singular rendition of "Cry Me a River" by Cassandra Wilson, followed by the effervescent swing and scatting of Ledisi's "Honeysuckle Rose." The Basie Band packs plenty of punch behind her. Accompanied by guitarist Brian Nova's appealing accompaniment, Monica Mancini (Henry's daughter) captivates on the intimate performance of "Once in a While," originally recorded by Ella with Joe Pass.
Austin and Grier close out the concert with a swinging "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)/ Paganini Bows Reprise." They trade verses as the Basie Band explosively accompanies them before they call and acknowledge the rest of the performers to take their bows. A bonus track of Ella singing "People" is an encore for the CD. It is a delightful coda to this outstanding recording of a remarkable night at Harlem's Apollo Theater.
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Lizz Wright's performance of "The Nearness of You" from this concert.
Today is the third, and for now final, Take 5 devoted to performances of Body and Soul. Our first installment had renditions that preceded Coleman Hawkins' classic recording. last week we started with on Hawkins and then included four other tenor saxophone recordings. This week, I present five other recordings of this standard.
First up we have Billie Holiday from 1940.
Next up is Bud Powell
Hank Jones is another piano master who has recorded it.
Ella Fitzgerald performed it on a legendary Frank Sinatra TV show.
Leroy Carr's legacy is perhaps not as appreciated today as it once was. A major recording star, his duets with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, are classic blues recordings. Furthermore, he contributed countless classic blues songs that have become standards. Today we have an "In the Evening" playlist kicking off with his original recording.
While Ray Charles has also recorded this, let us not forget Charles Brown, who was an early influence on Brother Ray.
Big Bill Broonzy did this as hear here.
Robert Lockwood had a fondness for Leroy Carr as did most folks of his generation. Here he is playing his 12 string guitar and singing this classic.
Big Joe Turner did a nice rendition of this.
Here is Jimmy Witherspoon with a band that included Jay McShann on piano and was led by former Basie-ite, Budddy Tate.
Here is Ella Fitzgerald singing it for Decca Records,
Here is a Count Basie trio recording of this classic.
Here is Big Joe Williams and his 9-string guitar.
And here is the shouter Joe Williams at Newport in 1963 with a band including Howard McGhee and Clark Terry.
Here is Ernestine Anderson with Milt Jackson and others.
Then there is Gary Clark Jr. at the White House doing it.
Then there is Yusef Lateef's recording on the oboe.
I could include many more renditions, but here is a ringer to close this post with. I wonder if the Carr estate gets royalties for Robert Johnson's recording, Love in Vain, that uses Carr's music.
I have a penchant for books on music (especially blues and jazz) and photography. Books of photographs of blues and jazz musicians have a specific place in my heart, so when I saw on amazon the description of “Jazz” by Ed Van Der Elsken, I added it to my shopping cart but it wasn’t only until recently that I purchased the book. It is published in Amsterdam and it does include some introductory text which I am unable to understand since I do not read Dutch, but it contains a number of black and white photos from the fifties that look like they were taken during European tours by touring American Jazz Masters.
If the technical information on camera equipment and such matter is provided, it must be in portions of the text that I cannot decipher. In addition to the covers, there are 79 pages of photographs in this 7.2 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches hardback that weighs just under 15 ounces. I give the physical dimensions because most of my recent photo book acquisitions are not easily transportable, and despite being a hard cover, this is readily transportable. Their are audience pictures showing some showing unbridled enthusiasm and others more restrained. Notable groups include the Modern Jazz Quartet, Oscar peterson, Duke Ellington (one picture has him jubilant as he conducts the Orchestra) , Art Blakey with Lee Morgan, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and the All Stars, Miles Davis on stage with Lester Young and with a big smile as Lester plays in one picture and Jimmy Rushing with Benny Goodman. Of course there is more here, but this gives some sense of who is included here. There is a grittiness in part from the grainy reproduction of many of these wonderful shots and there is a nice range of views including some from above like a two-page spread of Armstrong & the All Stars with the concert hall audience clearly visible. Van Der Elsken marvelously captures much of the flavor of the music in his images here. I have no regrets about purchasing this book and suspect lovers of vintage jazz photography will share my enthusiasm for this.
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