Ella Ray

Ella Fitzgerald was still very much at the top of her game in 1969, when this appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival was videotaped. Accompanied by the always swinging pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Frank DeLaRosa, and drummer Ed Thigpen, Fitzgerald works her magic with a number of favorites from her vast repertoire to the delight of her attentive audience, including "Give Me the Simple Life," "That Old Black Magic," and "I Won't Dance." But the singer was never one to stand pat with her song selection, so she was always looking at new material.

Ella and Louis is an inspired collaboration, masterminded by producer Norman Granz. Both artists were riding high at this stage in their careers, and Granz assembled a stellar quartet of Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar) and Ray Brown (bass). Equally inspired was the choice of material, with the gruffness of Armstrong's voice blending like magic with Fitzgerald's stunningly silky delivery. Outstanding are Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" and "Isn't This a Lovely Day," and everything else works like a dream, with the golden star going to the Gershwin brothers' "They Can't Take That Away from Me." Gentle and sincere, this is deserving of a place in every home.

In Ella Fitzgerald (b. 1918) and Louis Armstrong (b. 1900? - d. 1971) one savors two uniquely American voices as different from one another as a cabarnet sauvignon and Wild Turkey. When the musical menu is strictly four-star, as is the case with the dozen tunes herein, Ella and Louis unfailingly make each course - or chorus - so much the tastier. ~ VerveMusicGroup

This film, which opens with Pass playing alone on six wonderful tunes, was made during a European tour that took place some months before the recording of their second album as a duet, titled precisely Fitzgerald & Pass Again, taped on February 8, 1975. Thus, it presents some tunes that would be part of that LP, making this program (and probably the whole tour) a kind of rehearsal for the songs to be included on the studio album.

In 1961 Ella Fitzgerald recorded two albums with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra. Her voice was in peak form and, even if the backup band was somewhat anonymous, Fitzgerald uplifted the 15 songs on this set; "All of Me" was from a different obscure sampler and "Call Me Darling" was previously unissued. Although the accent is on ballads, several of the songs are taken at medium tempos and she swings throughout. Highlights include "Georgia on My Mind," "The Very Thought of You," "It's a Pity to Say Goodnight," "Darn That Dream," "Body and Soul" and a cooking "All of Me."
~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide