Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook

[mjzee]

Release date June 24:

Ella Fitzgerald's "Songbook" records - with her peerless renditions of the best songs from iconic composers from Irving Berlin to Rogers & Hart to Cole Porter to George & Ira Gershwin - are the cornerstone of the Verve catalog and the standard for jazz vocal recordings. Ella never released a live version of these Songbooks. This record, discovered in the private collection of Norman Granz, will make the first time a live Songbook has been released from the First Lady of Song.

 

[HutchFan]

Hmmm.  That one looks VERY interesting.   

Thanks for posting @mjzee  

 

Edited May 14, 2022 by HutchFan

[JSngry]

So this will be with full orchestra? Conducted by...? Nelson Riddle, maybe? Not really interested if not. But if....maybe.

[ghost of miles]

Savor the first taste of a historic find

"The rare cachet of the songbook albums is one way to make sense of the unusual decision to present Ella in a split program of Cole Porter and Irving Berlin repertory at the Hollywood Bowl, on Aug. 16, 1958. She performed with an elaborate congress of musicians billed as the Hollywood Bowl Pops Orchestra, conducted by Paul Weston, who'd also conducted and arranged the orchestra on the Berlin songbook album."

[JSngry]

Paul Weston I respect the hell out of. But at this point....not for me. That video sounds like it was a good band and a goof gig, though.

[Teasing the Korean]

Received this as a Christmas gift.  A decent recording.  Vocals sound great.  The orchestra overall sounds good but the balances are a little off in places, as you may expect in a live setting.  Interesting to hear her cutting loose a little bit amid the familiar arrangements.  

[Larry Kart]

On 5/13/2022 at 9:46 PM, JSngry said:

Paul Weston I respect the hell out of. But at this point....not for me. That video sounds like it was a good band and a goof gig, though.

 I did an interview with Weston and Jo Stafford. Two lovely people. We talked a good deal about Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Weston's easy listening albums are beyond tasty.

[Jim Duckworth]

30 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

 I did an interview with Weston and Jo Stafford. Two lovely people. We talked a good deal about Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Weston's easy listening albums are beyond tasty.

Jonathan and Darlene did the definitive version of Stayin' Alive. See below.

[Larry Kart]

 

[JSngry]

41 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

 I did an interview with Weston and Jo Stafford. Two lovely people. We talked a good deal about Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Weston's easy listening albums are beyond tasty.

There's some Capitol sides with dreamy gauzy sexy woman covers that are turning up on my Robert Farnon Pandora channel, and yeah, every cut has some little out of nowhere moment that grabs the ear.

A late discovery for me, this stuff. 

[Teasing the Korean]

53 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

 I did an interview with Weston and Jo Stafford. Two lovely people. We talked a good deal about Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Weston's easy listening albums are beyond tasty.

Weston's arrangements on Jo Stafford Sings Broadway's Best (Columbia) are fantastic. Some would say they are dated, but I love them.

As I think I've mentioned, My parents, who were in the biz, were in the final lineup of the Pied Pipers, but they never recorded.  When the final original member had to leave because of drinking problems, the group fulfilled their tour obligation with a replacement and then changed their name.  My Mom idolized Jo Stafford. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Teasing the Korean

[Gheorghe]

Sounds interesting especially as Irving Berlin songs sounds good ! 

But I´m afraid it is with some nameless orchestra that might sound too much like "Hollywood" to me, like I had some disappointment when I got from my beloved wife one Ella CD with "Arlen Songbook" which has great songs on it, but it´s the kinda studio orchestra I don´t like. But for the same occasion she also bought me an Ella album with the Basie Orchestra, and that´s an album I like, and I´m sure you can understand why. 

[Teasing the Korean]

7 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

Sounds interesting especially as Irving Berlin songs sounds good ! 

But I´m afraid it is with some nameless orchestra that might sound too much like "Hollywood" to me, like I had some disappointment when I got from my beloved wife one Ella CD with "Arlen Songbook" which has great songs on it, but it´s the kinda studio orchestra I don´t like. But for the same occasion she also bought me an Ella album with the Basie Orchestra, and that´s an album I like, and I´m sure you can understand why. 

I'm all about the Hollywood sound!  The more space-age sparkle, the better!

[JSngry]

Hollywood Bowl means Hollywood Sound.

Let the sound fit the Bowl.

[Teasing the Korean]

53 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Hollywood Bowl means Hollywood Sound.

Let the sound fit the Bowl.

That's what my goldfish always tells me!

[colinmce]

23 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Weston's arrangements on Jo Stafford Sings Broadway's Best (Columbia) are fantastic. Some would say they are dated, but I love them.

As I think I've mentioned, My parents, who were in the biz, were in the final lineup of the Pied Pipers, but they never recorded.  When the final original member had to leave because of drinking problems, the group fulfilled their tour obligation with a replacement and then changed their name.  My Mom idolized Jo Stafford. 

Thanks, I'm not familiar with the Broadway LP but I will track one down. Autumn In New York is one of my very favorite vocal albums. 

[Teasing the Korean]

8 minutes ago, colinmce said:

Thanks, I'm not familiar with the Broadway LP but I will track one down. Autumn In New York is one of my very favorite vocal albums. 

I really love her versions of "They Say It's Wonderful" and "Something to Remember You By" on Broadway's Best.  I think some of the tracks made it to CD, maybe grey market CDs, but I don't think the whole album has ever been reissued.  I can find a four-track EP on Qobuz, but that's it.  

[Teasing the Korean]

If Basie is playing Neal Hefti arrangements behind Frank Sinatra in a Hollywood studio, is that jazz, Hollywood, or something in between?