Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood [4 CD] (2009)

Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (2009) [4 CD Verve-Hip-O Select B0012920-02 rec 1961-1962]

An appearance in Hollywood for a first-rate jazz vocalist was not necessarily an opportunity to broadcast your visage and pander to everyone from Tacoma to Tallahassee. It could also include a date at the Crescendo, the Sunset Strip's best chance to find premier jazz. Gene Norman's nightclub hosted dozens of jazz legends (and a comic or two), and produced more than its share of excellent LPs recorded on location. Better even than Mel Tormé's 1954 classic, the Ella Fitzgerald LP that resulted from her May 1961 appearances generated one of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography – and almost 50 years later, it became a four-CD set compiling ten days' worth of performances.

All of her hallmarks (technical wizardry, breakneck scatting, irrepressible humor and warmth) are on full display, with a small but expressive quartet backing her performance, including pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, drummer Gus Johnson, and bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks. Although it's full of brilliance, the highlights are clear: a seven-minute scat masterpiece of "Take the 'A' Train," with chorus after chorus of variations, and the shorter but still excellent "Mr. Paganini." The balladry is masterful as well, with "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" high on the list. Verve label-head Norman Granz recorded each of Ella Fitzgerald's sets between May 11th and 21st, 1961, at the Crescendo, and Twelve Nights in Hollywood contains the fruits of that labor – 75 songs with nary a repeat in the list (although the fourth disc actually consists of a 1962 date finding Fitzgerald back at the Crescendo). Although its comprehensiveness may be a hindrance, Twelve Nights in Hollywood is a classic glimpse of Ella at her on-stage best.

Tracklist

CD1

01 - Introduction
02 - Lover Come Back To Me
03 - Too Close For Comfort
04 - Little White Lies
05 - On The Sunny Side Of The Street
06 - Accenttchuate The Positive
07 - Baby Wont You Please Come Home
08 - I Found A New Baby
09 - On A Slow Boat To China
10 - My Heart Belongs To Daddy
11 - Perdido
12 - I've Got A Crush On You
13 - But Not For Me
14 - You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
15 - Across The Alley From The Alamo
16 - I'm Glad There Is You
17 - Round Midnight
18 - Take The A Train
19 - Mr Paganini

CD2

01 - Nice Work If You Can Get It
02 - I Can't Get Started
03 - Give Me The Simple Life
04 - Caravan
05 - One For My Baby
06 - Lorelei
07 - A-Tisket A-Tasket
08 - Witchcraft
09 - Gone With The Wind
10 - Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe
11 - It's De-Lovely
12 - The Lady Is A Tramp
13 - That Old Black Magic
14 - Lullaby Of Birdland
15 - Ella Introduces The Band
16 - Imagination
17 - Blue Moon
18 - Joe Williams' Blues

CD3

01 - The Lady's In Love With You
02 - Love Is Here To Stay
03 - Come Rain Or Come Shine
04 - Anything Goes
05 - This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
06 - Candy
07 - Little Girl Blue
08 - You're Driving Me Crazy
09 - It's All Right With Me
10 - Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)
11 - S Wonderful
12 - How High The Moon
13 - Deep Purple
14 - In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
15 - Mack The Knife
16 - Exactly Like You
17 - Rock It For Me
18 - Stompin At The Savoy
19 - Love For Sale
20 - St Louis Blues

CD4

01 - All Of Me
02 - Hard Hearted Hannah
03 - Broadway
04 - My Kind Of Boy
05 - It Had To Be You
06 - C'est Magnifique
07 - How Long Has This Been Going On
08 - When Your Lover Has Gone
09 - Taking A Chance On Love
10 - Good Morning Heartache
11 - Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie
12 - Hallelujah I Love Him So
13 - Angel Eyes
14 - Ol Man Mose
15 - Teach Me Tonight
16 - Too Darn Hot Ella's Twist
17 - Too Darn Hot
18 - Bewitched
19 - Bill Bailey
20 - Bill Bailey (reprise)

Musicians:

Ella Fitzgerald - vocals
Lou Levy - piano
Paul Smith - piano
Herb Ellis - guitar
Wilfred Middlebrooks - bass
Gus Johnson - drums
Stan Levey - drums