When the grandiose 2000-seater Concertgebouw opened in 1888 as a venue for classical orchestral performances, no one could have predicted its future popularity for blues, jazz, and rock stars from the 1960s onwards.
Ella Fitzgerald was 44 years old when she walked onto the stage on the 10th February 1961. Reaching the pinnacle of her career, ‘The First Lady Of Song’ was already a multiple Grammy award winner. A month earlier she had performed at President Kennedy’s Inaugural Gala In Washington and was at the Carnegie Hall, New York supporting Martin Luther King.
The recording of this Amsterdam concert was on the verge of extinction before it was discovered and brought back to life using restorative technology.
Ella’s hourlong set is wide, ranging from pure jazz and blues to the Great American Songbook including three from the Gershwin brothers. Her backing band was the Lou Levy Quartet. Lou reminisced this collaboration:
I think it was her honesty that got across to the audience. She had a wonderful sound and she swung real hard. The crowd was tremendously enthusiastic and being Ella she got a real lift from them. And she brought the house down. She’s a real live improvising-type performer; with Ella it’s more like a jam session, straight in and enjoy the ride.
Certainly, this positive audience response is palpable on the recording and it is possible to hear the good-humored banter and fun between the witty, engaging Ella and her fans.
The show starts with a warm up from the quartet entitled “Won’t You Please Let Me In,” a largely improvised blues instrumental with sweeping piano and guitar solos from West Coast jazz pianist Lou Levy and the blues-inflected strings of Herb Ellis. Herb is a guitarist who achieved world recognition with the Oscar Peterson Trio. Wilfred Middlebrooks on double bass plays with an elegance, timing and authority reminiscent of Willie Dixon while Texas born Gus Johnson is the ultimate swing drummer.
The 13 songs from Ella are familiar standards, including “Too Close For Comfort,” “On A Slow Boat To China,” “You’re Driving Me Crazy,” “That Old Black Magic,” “Lover Come Back To Me,” “My Funny Valentine,” “I’ve Got A Crush On You,” “Lorelei,” “Mr Paganini,” and “Mack The Knife.” In addition there are two slow, bluesy ballads sung with sincerity and angst, “How Long Has This Been Going On’ and “Heart and Soul,” Ella’s powerful voice conveying the depths of emotions experienced.
The show-stopping finale is “Saint Louis Blues” and a reminder that Ella has serious blues credentials epitomized by her entire album of blues tracks from 1963, These Are The Blues. W.C. Handy, the ‘Father of the Blues,’ had composed this popular song and Ella immortalized it on her live shows with its change of tempo, expressive, passionate vocals and scatting melody.
St Louis woman
With all her diamond rings
Pulls that man around
By her apron strings
If you had to choose one Ella Fitzgerald album to take to a desert island this would be a strong contender because of the broad range of songs, the impeccable collective talents of the backing quartet and flawless acoustics. Above all, the iconic American chanteuse is in her favorite environment, on stage, performing with breathtaking virtuosity and showered with adoration by her legion of loyal fans.
Credits:
MONO@1961 VARA
Remastered 2016 FONDAMENTA REMASTERING:
Frederic D’Oria-Nicolas and Nicolas Thelliez using Phoenix Mastering
PHOTOS: D.R
ARTWORK: Julie Goncalves, Fondamenta
TEXTS: Stephane Ollivier
TRANSLATION: James Montrose
FONDAMENTA HEAD OF A&R: Frederic D’Oria-Nicolas
