Ella Fitzgerald Film

[+ WilliamM]

Title: "Just One of Those Things"

 

Noting that Ms. Fitzgerald's improvisations always stayed harmonically sound, the music writer Will Friedman recites a lengthy list of songs during a five minute scat version of "How High the Moon."

 

Comment: Yes, Ella Fitzgerald was a gift from God, who always seemed surprised people loved her singing - even at Carnegie Hall.

[+ sync]

I recall from reading that, when Ella Fitzgerald originally debuted at an amateur night at the Apollo theater in NYC, she intended to dance. When she got on stage, she froze, and the only thing she could think to do was sing. A blessing in disguise.

 

Edit: sp. Appolo to Apollo

Edited June 27, 2020 by sync

[+ WilliamM]

Ella Fitzgerald said fairly late in life that her

only hit songs were when she forget the words [to Mack the Knife] and made the words up

[+ WilliamM]

The CD "Ella in Berlin" is the concert where Ms. Fitzgerald forgot the words to the song Mac the Knife

[nsguy45]

Saw her perform on Boston Common one summer afternoon in 1982 and she was incredible. The balconies of the neighboring apartment buildings were filled with residents getting a free concert, which amused her.

[+ WilliamM]

The film is available to steam now. I drove from Philadelphia to Wolf Trap Concert Center in Virginia to see Ella in an outdoor concert, the first outdoor concert for me since JanisJoplin at Forest Hills in July 1970.

[CheckCar]

American Masters on PBS also did a great documentary on Miss Ella back in the late 1990s.

 

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/ella-fitzgerald-something-to-live-for/590/