Puneet Varma (Editor)

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book

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Released
  
1964

Artist
  
Ella Fitzgerald

Producer
  
Norman Granz

Genres
  
Jazz, Vocal jazz

Length
  
43:58

Release date
  
1964

Label
  
Verve Records

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenbbdEll

Recorded
  
October 19–21, 1964 Los Angeles

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book (1964)
  
Ella at Juan-Les-Pins (1964)

Similar
  
Ella Fitzgerald albums, Jazz albums

Ella fitzgerald too marvelous for words the johnny mercer songbook


Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book is a 1964 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, focusing on the songs of Johnny Mercer. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California. This is Fitzgerald's fifth and final collaboration with Riddle during her years on the Verve label.

Contents

The album is notable as Fitzgerald's only songbook to concentrate on the work of a lyricist. Riddle's lush arrangements interact most beautifully with Fitzgerald on ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Skylark". Fitzgerald's impeccable swing is most evident on "Something's Gotta Give" and "Too Marvelous for Words".

Track listing

For the 1964 Verve LP release; Verve V6-4067; Re-issued in 1984 on CD, Verve-PolyGram 823 247-2

Side One:

  1. "Too Marvelous for Words" (Richard A. Whiting) – 2:31
  2. "Early Autumn" (Ralph Burns) – 3:51
  3. "Day In, Day Out" (Rube Bloom) – 2:49
  4. "Laura" (from the film Laura) (David Raksin) – 3:43
  5. "This Time the Dream's on Me" (Harold Arlen) – 2:54
  6. "Skylark" (Hoagy Carmichael) – 3:12
  7. "Single-O" (Donald Kahn, Johnny Mercer) – 3:19

Side Two:

  1. "Something's Gotta Give" (Mercer) – 2:33
  2. "Trav'lin' Light" (Jimmy Mundy, Trummy Young) – 3:47
  3. "Midnight Sun" (Francis J. Burke, Lionel Hampton) – 4:55
  4. "Dream" (Mercer) – 2:58
  5. "I Remember You" (Victor Schertzinger) – 3:38
  6. "When a Woman Loves a Man" (Bernie Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins) – 3:51

All lyrics by Johnny Mercer, composers between brackets.

Personnel

Recorded October 19–21, 1964 at Radio Recorders Studio 10-H, Hollywood:

  • Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
  • Nelson Riddle, arranger and conductor
  • Paul Smith on piano
  • Plas Johnson on tenor sax
  • Willie Smith on alto sax
  • Buddy DeFranco on clarinet
  • Frank Flynn on vibes
  • Val Valentin, recording engineer
  • Songs

    1Too Marvelous for Words2:32
    2Early Autumn3:51
    3Day In-Day Out2:49

    References

    Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book Wikipedia