CD1
1.
You Won’t Be Satisfied
2. The Frim Fram Sauce
3. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
4. Can Anyone Explain
5. Necessary Evil
6. Oops!
7. Would You Like To Take A Walk?
8. Who Walks In When I Walk Out?
Tracks 9-19: ‘Ella And Louis’
9. Can’t We Be Friends?
I0. Isn’t This A Lovely Day
11. Moonlight in Vermont
12. They Can’t Take that Away From Me
13. Under A Blanket of Blue
14. Tenderly
15. A Foggy Day
16. Stars Fell On Alabama
17. Cheek To Cheek
18. The Nearness of You
19. April in Paris
CD2
Tracks
1-12: ‘Ella And Louis Again’
1. Don’t Be That Way
2. They All Laughed
3. Autumn In New York
4. Stompin’ At The Savoy
5. I Won’t Dance
6. Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You
7. Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off
8. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
9. I’m Puttin’ All My Eggs In One Basket
10. A Fine Romance
11. Love Is Here To Stay
12. Learnin’ The Blues
Tracks 13-16: ‘Porgy And Bess’
13. Summertime
14. I Got Plenty of Nuttin’
15. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
16. It Ain’t Necessarily So
The Avid label again does
us a service by issuing at bargain price this
double album, which contains all the studio
duets recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis
Armstrong. The pair first recorded together
in 1946 with the Bob Haggart Orchestra (tracks
1 and 2) and later in 1950 (with the Sy Oliver
Orchestra - tracks 3 and 4) and 1951 (with
Dave Barbour's Orchestra - tracks 5-8).
But the inimitable chemistry
between Fitzgerald and Armstrong really started
sparking most brightly when producer Norman
Granz recorded them in the mid-fifties with
the Oscar Peterson Quartet. The small group's
jazz backing was just what was needed to make
the duets perfect - and unforgettable. Granz
also put Ella and Louis together to record
Porgy and Bess, and this double CD
ends with the four duet tracks from that album.
The Porgy session was less successful
than its predecessors because it lumbered
the duettists with Russell Garcia's cumbersome
big band, including a string section.
The eight early recordings
are amiable and likeable, with Ella's mellifluous
voice neatly contrasted with Louis's guttural
vocals and his outspoken trumpet. Joe Bushkin's
piano and Billy Butterfield's trumpet prettily
embroider The Frim Fram Sauce. Dream
a Little Dream of Me is probably the outstanding
classic among these early tracks, with Louis'
trumpet obbligato shadowing Ella's vocals,
and then Ella improvising and scatting behind
Louis's vocal. Even at this early stage, the
empathy between the two is palpable: clearly
enjoying one another's contributions. And
there's some lovely trumpet soloing from Armstrong.
However good these tracks
are, the whole atmosphere lightens with the
arrival of Can't We Be Friends?, with
the gently swinging accompaniment from Oscar
Peterson's discreet piano, backed by the subtly
chugging guitar and bass of Herb Ellis and
Ray Brown, with Buddy Rich at the drums (Louie
Bellson is the drummer for the first 12 tracks
on the second CD). Louis's trumpet is somehow
released to sound freer and more eloquent,
and the whole session is supremely relaxed.
These superb recordings are
so well known that one hardly needs to comment
on them. Highlights include Ella's jokey imitation
of Louis's growl at the end of Tenderly;
Stompin' at the Savoy, where Louis's
enthusiasm keeps the song swinging with complete
abandon; and the tearaway I've Got My Love
to Keep Me Warm.
If you have never heard these
recordings before, rush out and buy this album
without delay. Even if you know them well,
each track repays continued listening. Hearing
them once more, I found myself smiling again
and again - with sheer pleasure at the duo's
musical expertise and togetherness, Ella's
angelic voice and Louis's unquenchable good
humour.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Avid
AMSC 934
