Ella Fitzgerald; Louis Armstrong - Porgy and Bess

Information

Composer: George Gershwin

1. Overture
2. Summertime
3. I Wants To Stay Here
4. My Man's Gone Now
5. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
6. Buzzard Song
7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
8. It Ain't Necessarily So
9. What You Want Wid Bess?
10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
11. Oh, Doctor Jesus
12. Medley: Here Come De Honey Man - Crab Man - Oh, Dey's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
14. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?
15. Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Ella Fitzgerald, vocals

Louis Armstrong, vocals

Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Russell Garcia

Date: 1957

Label: Verve

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Review

Never absent from the reissue lists for long, this Ella-Louis collaboration remains a considerable achievement for both principals as well as marking the last time they recorded together. SOA's new version purports to be a limited-edition in a ‘mini-LP papersleeve gatefold replica’, and so it is. The track sequence follows Norman Granz's original on Verve (and repeats his note) and also replicates the identical issue on One Records in 2016. Same stable, perhaps? Garcia provides the requisite lush orchestral setting or stirring big band backing for each facet of the enterprise as well as the initial overture, this sans Ella and Louis. The two stars soon soar as they open up on George Gershwin's masterful score, Armstrong a little tentative on trumpet at first but growing into the role, while Ella offers her perfect exposition of the lyrics, intonation as ever spot on. Just to experience Louis launching imperiously into ‘Summertime’ and then to hear Ella's poised response, as Louis counters vocally, is worth the price of admission alone. Bearing in mind that these sessions were shoehorned into Louis's diary without any time for rehearsals, it's a miracle that so much of worth emerged. More so, when some of the routines were evidently busked on the spot with the keys selected to fit Louis's narrower vocal range. Happily, the choir only appears on a single piece and the two bonus tracks, also on the aforementioned One release, are best described as cheery makeweights. The late US commentator Gene Lees once suggested: “This is a Porgy performance you would be ill-advised to miss,” and he was right. Snap it up if you haven't already.

— Peter Vacher

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Ella Fitzgerald (25 April 1917 – 15 June 1996) was an American jazz singer. Rising to prominence after winning an amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre, she gained early success with the Chick Webb Orchestra and later achieved international acclaim as a solo artist. Under the management of Norman Granz, Fitzgerald's career flourished, notably through her influential "Songbook" recordings. Celebrated for her ballads and pioneering scat singing, she became one of the best-selling jazz vocalists in history, earning numerous honors, including 14 Grammy Awards and multiple lifetime achievement recognitions.

***

Louis Armstrong (4 August 1901 – 6 July 1971) was an American trumpeter, singer and bandleader. Rising from poverty in New Orleans, he gained early experience in local bands before achieving national prominence with King Oliver and later through his groundbreaking Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. Renowned for his virtuoso trumpet technique, distinctive swing and expressive vocal style, Armstrong influenced generations of musicians across genres. Beyond jazz, he achieved widespread popular success through recordings, films and global tours, helping elevate jazz into a respected and enduring art form.

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