Kai Strand's 3 Book Box Set (super Villain Academy)

While legends such as Billie Holiday and Count Basie made their greatest impact with visceral, blues-soaked statements, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington succeeded by lending their work unmatched grace and precision. This is a roundabout way of saying that no one is better suited to interpret the Duke than Ella, and the evidence is contained within these three CDs. Discs 1 and 3, recorded in June 1957, feature the support of the full Ellington band and are a complete joy, from Fitzgerald's terrific scat vocal on "Rockin' in Rhythm" through the extended four-part suite "Portrait of Ella Fitzgerlad," which adds Ellington's spoken observations and Billy Strayhorn's piano accents. However, the real highlight is the middle disc, recorded in the fall of that year, which finds Ella fronting a small band boasting Ellington's former tenor star Ben Webster. Most of this disc includes wonderful violin from Stuff Smith and supple guitar from Barney Kessel; the remaining cuts feature Oscar Peterson's trio. Of particular note are the three warming Ella-Kessel duets and the consistently charming work of Webster. By combining big-band and small-band sides, this collection emphasizes the flexibility of both Ellington's songs and Fitzgerald's interpretive powers. The sound quality of disc 2 is overall the best. Never the less, discs 1 and 3 are also high lights seen from a historical point of view. Remaster engineer Dennis Drake has done another outstanding job with this 3-disc box set !!!

Deluxe three CD edition includes Director's Cut plus remastered versions of the Sensual World and the Red Shoes, all housed in a case-bound book. 2011 album from the British songstress. On Directors Cut, Kate revisits a selection of tracks from her albums the Sensual World and the Red Shoes, a process that presents a fascinating portrait of an artist in a constant state of evolution. She has re-recorded some elements whilst keeping the best musical performances of each song - making it something of a director's cut but in sound, not vision. All the lead vocals and drums are new performances, some of the tracks featuring guests including Steve Gadd, Danny Thompson and, on backing vocals, Mica Paris. Three songs have been completely re-recorded, one of which is 'This Woman's Work'.