Originally written by David Waring.
By any criterion, Ella Fitzgerald‘s eight albums on Verve focusing on the giants of American songwriting represent a monumental achievement. Between 1956 and 1964 this peerless interpreter tackled the tunes of Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, and Johnny Mercer and created, in the process, a body of work which is stunning for its artistry, sophistication, refinement, and consistency.
It is no surprise that the quality of Ella’s singing is of the highest quality. Ella Fitzgerald unerringly penetrates the emotional pith of the songs and exhibits her customary effortless technical mastery throughout. Technical brilliance is not limited to Ella’s vocals, however. The engineering on all eight albums is such that I honestly don’t believe I have heard any recordings, of any vintage, that sound better on my home system. These recordings are graced by suave arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn, Billy May, Paul Weston, and Billy Bregman, as well as classy performances by studio pros like drummer Irv Cottler, guitarist Barney Kessel and saxophonist Plas Johnson. Lovers of the canon of music that has become known as the Great American Songbook will be forever grateful for the creative genius of Ella Fitzgerald that brought these remarkable albums to life.
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