Vinyl Records > Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong - Ella & Louis Again (2LP) (180gram)

Verve MGV 4006-2
"Ella And Louis Again" - Ella Fitzgerald (voc); Louis Armstrong (voc, tp); Oscar Peterson (p); Herb Ellis (g); Ray Brown (b); Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson (dr)

?It’s impossible not to praise these recordings to the skies. The two musicians Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong are a sure guarantee for swing and expressiveness, for musicality, and for mutual understanding. One might even go as far as saying that they were the very epitome of jazz between 1930 and 1960, that they were the best of the best as regards quality, that they achieved remarkable success, and were extremely popular. And to crown it all, Oscar Peterson and his Trio, a fantastically groovy rhythm group, were invited to join them in the studio.
The numbers are all from the Great American Songbook and are easily recognizable; the introduction has hardly got underway before your feet are tapping to the beat of "Don’t Be That Way" right up to "Learnin’ The Blues". And it is between these two poles – swing and the blues – that music is made. Producer Norman Granz certainly had a stroke of genius when he signed Ella and Louis to his Verve label. And the recordings brought both the two musicians, and him, excellent sales figures.
If you have never heard these 19 numbers, then let yourself be seduced by Ella and Louis into the world of jazz – just like the present author 40 years ago. Those who have heard these titles over and over again will certainly discover previously unheard subtleties, sophistication, and an astounding rapport between the musicians in this re-release.

Recording: Juli and August 1957 in Los Angeles
Production: Norman Granz