Ella Fitzgerald
In marked contrast to the poignant, emotional sensitivity of Billie Holiday is the lighter, more carefree style of Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996). Fitzgerald possessed a wide vocal range and superb intonation A term referring to the proper production of a tone so that it is exactly in tune. (that is, pitch). Her vitality is natural-and contagious-as is her ability to swing. She ranks, along with Louis Armstrong, as one of the greatest scat singers in the history of jazz.
Fitzgerald also got her start singing in Harlem. In 1934 she won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre at age seventeen, and the following year she began singing with the Chick Webb Orchestra. Fitzgerald and Webb's orchestra had their first big hit in 1938 with "A-Tisket A-Tasket" .
When Webb died from spinal tuberculosis in 1939, Fitzgerald took over leadership of the band until it disbanded in 1942. After that, she launched her solo career and achieved great popularity and artistic success. Her long collaborative association with producer Norman Granz proved especially fruitful in that regard.
Let's listen to Fitzgerald recorded live in 1964 at an open-air jazz festival in France, singing the Cole Porter tune "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" . As she stays close to the melody through the first chorus, Fitzgerald is in top form and then solos dynamically through the remainder of the piece. In many respects, Fitzgerald represents the epitome of jazz vocal improvisation. Arguably, only Louis Armstrong could match her melodic vocal invention. A quartet of excellent jazz musicians, including Roy Eldridge on muted trumpet and Tommy Flanagan on piano, accompany Fitzgerald on this recording.
Chick Webb
A-Tisket A-Tasket
A-tisket a-tasket
A green-and-yellow basket
I bought a basket for my mommie
On the way I dropped it
Don't Worry 'Bout Me
Don't worry 'bout me Forget about me
Just be happy my love