Ella Fitzgerald: How High the Moon (live in Berlin, 1960)
Musicians:
Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Paul Smith (piano), Jim Hall (guitar), Gus Johnson (drums),
Wilfred Middlebrooks (bass)
.Composed by Nancy Hamilton & Morgan Lewis
.Recorded: live at Deutschlandhallen, Berlin, February 13, 1960
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
We're still trying to make sense of the Grammy Hall of Fame jazz wing. In 2002, the Recording Academy inducted Ella Fitzgerald's "How High the Moon." But which version? Grammy identified Decca, the label of Ella's 1947 single. However, Grammy also specified 1960, the date of Ella In Berlin on Verve. We normally prefer an original, but if the Hall of Fame has room for only one of Ella's honeyed "Moons," we'd vote for 1960. If this isn't the most virtuosic scat vocal performance ever, please don't tell us what is—our old heart can't take more excitement that this.
Reviewer: Alan Kurtz
If you liked this track, also check out
- Ella Fitzgerald: Mack the Knife
- Ella Fitzgerald: How High the Moon (1947 version)
- Roberta Gambarini: Lover Come Back to Me
Related Links
The Legacy of Ella Fitzgerald by Ted Gioia
The Dozens: Twelve Essential Ella Fitzgerald Performances by Stuart Nicholson
”Ella Fitzgerald” by Stuart Nicholson (from The Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians)
Tags: how high the moon · jazz vocals · verve
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