Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington - Ella at Duke's Place

Ella Fitzgerald made some of her greatest recordings with Duke Ellington and his band, including the extensive three-CD Ellington Songbook and the eight-CD Cote d'Azur Concerts. This session from 1965 is an excellent place to begin listening to the relationship, a self-contained set that joins Fitzgerald with the Duke and his still-great band. The brilliance of Fitzgerald's voice is apparent even when placed amid such great Ellingtonians as altoist Johnny Hodges and trumpeters Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson. She and Hodges are perfectly matched on subtle Billy Strayhorn tunes like "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" and "Passion Flower." --Stuart Broomer Amazon.com essential recording

Another Pinnacle

Before hearing this summit meeting, I was prepared to call "Blue Rose" (see review) one of Duke's 3-4 greatest albums and certainly the most underrated. My 40-year-long ignorance about this consummate encounter between Duke and Ella tells me "Blue Rose" has competition in the underrated category.

This is Ellington at full strength (before the loss of Johnny Hodges) and Ella, too (before some of the wavering vibrato of the 1970s). Above all, it's a session that captures every delicate shade and hue of the exquisitely beautiful, albeit often challenging, music of Billy Strayhorn. There's no fooling around during this session, no jam session looseness, no programming to meet general consumer approval (starting the session with "Something to Live For" and "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" is in itself indicative of the seriousness of this project).

As respectful as this date is, there are fine moments by some of the Ellington stars--Hodges, Gonsalves, Cootie, Jimmy Hamilton, even Duke's piano. And to the usual brain trust of Duke and Stray, add the arranging talents of the wonderful Jimmy Jones (accompanist for Sarah, then Nancy Wilson). Ellingtonphiles will appreciate the inimitable orchestral colors and textures along with the absence of haste and sloppiness while at the same time discovering a more "personal" Ellington and Ella than on the 50s Songbook.

Anyone new to the pair might wish to save this one for later and start instead with the Duke-Ella Cote d'Azure date, where there's more scattin' and jammin'. And if you want to hear Ella singing the greatest C-Jam Blues/Duke's Place (the titles are always used interchangeably) of all time, there's only one recording worth considering: "Bluella." February 2, 2007

This is Different

This 1965 recording is quite different from the 1957 Songbook meeting as it sounds like it was thoroughly rehearsed. This is a paradox, in my opinion, since the typical looseness of Duke's band is absent, resulting in a more rigid and mechanical performance. On the other hand, the band doesn't run over Ella as they often did on the Songbook. This is probably want Norman Granz was looking for the first time around when Duke, according to legend, showed up unprepared. I strongly prefer the Songbook though, in spite of its problems. October 21, 2005

Excellent

Despite the fact that this is not one of Ella or Duke's best known albums, it is defintely one of the best. Ella was at perhaps her absoltue peak vocally when this was recorded in 1965, and I doubt that there is a living vocalist who could re-create many moments in the album. But it's not just about a wonderful voice; Ella puts a lot of soul and feeling into these songs. Her "Something to Live For" is so poignant that it is impossible to listen to it without being moved. The two "Flower" songs are excellent, expoliting her rich lower register to create intense longing and desire. "Sunrise" is again touching, the First Lady sings it with just the right blend of sadness and hope for a better day. "Azure" is awesome, especially after the full band drops out, leaving just Ella and Duke on piano to noodle around. "Frustration" is fun, with Ella wailing her heart out. "Duke's Place" is a also great, showing that Duke and Ella could do wonders with just two notes. "Brown Skin Gal in the Calico Gown" starts out as a soft, yearning ballad, and then becomes a flag-waving swinger. "What Am I Here For?" is sung by Ella with her tongue-in-cheek, like "How dare you leave me alone with nothing to look forward to?!" ;-) And finally, the closing "Cottontail" is unforgettable; it is truly one of the greatest vocal improvisations preserved on record.

Well, that's about it. Can you tell I liked this CD? :-P March 26, 2004

The Duke and the First Lady of Song - a dream team

This is a musical reunion of Ella and Duke in 1965 since they created their monumental 1957 "Ella Sings Duke Ellington" album. The 1965 album brought back the musicians who made the 1957 album special and you can see that Ella is having a ball and in some cases, she reaches an intense emotionality very rarely associated with her, like my favorite Ellington tune "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing." The key charts exploited her lower registers and she langoured in its vast richness. And as in the 1957 album, where rumours of under-rehearsals were rife, the 1965 album did nothing to dissipate those rumours. In songs like "Azure", one can sense that there was no rehearsal -- more like an extended jam session with Gonsalves trading obbligatos with Ella. Ella herself was at her loosest best where she playfully pushed her voice to exciting improvisatory limits. Highly recommended. Next to Count Basie, I think Ella is happiest when she works with the Duke. And can't anyone ever eclipse Ella's "Caravan"? January 3, 2004

Strong Chemistry

Ella Fitzgerald is one of the worlds Greatest Vocalist ever.her voice is Diamond.together with One of The Greatest Teachers of Music Mr.Duke Ellington this disc is a must have.the Pairing of the two is Music History.her voice and the band are pure magic.you feel Admiration&genius on both parts.a strong chemistry.together they hit the right note. March 11, 2000

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