April 11, 1974, Ella's set at Ronnie Scott's legendary jazz club in London's West End is recorded for later release as Ella in London, but the concert is also filmed--a fact I didn't know until today while looking for clips of the audio. I've been listening to this album for twenty years and never knew there was footage.
Ella's voice changed as she got older, becoming rougher and less fluid, but even in her later years, on the occasional ballad, the magic would return. This is among her very best slow songs, a Cole Porter classic that doesn't really get its fair due. (Even Ella mentions here that she only sang it in England because no one seemed to appreciate it anywhere else.)
Her bittersweet, emotional reading brings a tear to the eye, and Porter's lyrics serve her so very well with some of his classiest work: "There's no love song finer, but how strange the change from major to minor..."
Tommy Flanagan on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, Keter Betts on bass, Bobby Durham on drums. Good stuff here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF5vjdrEuy4
Ella 101 is a daily look at 101 essential recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, who was born 101 years ago this month. Tune in to Equinox, Monday nights from 8 - 11 p.m. on WYSO, to hear Ella and more great jazz with host Duante Beddingfield.
