THE CONCERT YEARS is an impressive four-disc box set covering the decades from 1953 to 1983. It was
a time when Ella Fitzgerald was probably the most renowned female jazz singer in the world, selling
out large theaters and concert halls when most jazz musicians could barely fill a nightclub. These
are all live recordings, obviously, and they run the gamut from big band dates--the Duke Ellington
and Count Basie Orchestras, two of Fitzgerald's favorite collaborators, appear on several tracks--to
more intimate trio appearances. The tracks recorded with the Oscar Peterson Trio are possibly the
best of the lot, as Fitzgerald's voice is always front and center on them, in less danger of being
overshadowed by showboating soloists. Not that even the most spotlight-grabbing of instrumentalists,
such as Ellington's star tenor Johnny Hodges, can divert the listener's attention from that
spectacular voice. This is live jazz at its finest.
Track Listings:
1 On the Sunny Side of the Street (1:58)
2 Body and Soul (4:07)
3 Why Don't You Do Right? (3:19)
4 Oh, Lady Be Good (2:56)
5 I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (3:35)
6 How High the Moon (3:10)
7 My Funny Valentine (2:50)
8 Smooth Sailing (2:52)
9 Frim Fram Sauce (3:10)
10 Perdido (6:14)
11 Imagine My Frustration (4:43)
12 Duke's Place (4:32)
13 Satin Doll (2:44)
14 Something to Live For (4:21)
15 So Danço Samba (Jazz Samba) (3:35)
16 Don't Be That Way (4:03)
17 You've Changed (4:07)
18 Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) (4:22)
19 On the Sunny Side of the Street (2:03)
20 Cotton Tail (5:10)
21 (CD 2) Night and Day (6:48)
22 (CD 2) Many Faces of Cole Porter: Get Out of Town/Easy to Love/You Do ... (5:24)
23 (CD 2) Ballad Medley: Body and Soul/The Man I Love/I Loves You Porgy (4:44)
24 (CD 2) Bossa Scene: The Girl From Ipanema/Fly Me to the Moon/O Nosso Amor ... (5:37)
25 (CD 2) They Can't Take That Away from Me (4:14)
26 (CD 2) St. Louis Blues (3:01)
27 (CD 2) Love (2:22)
28 (CD 2) Begin the Beguine (4:12)
29 (CD 2) Indian Summer (4:24)
30 (CD 2) You've Got a Friend (5:02)
31 (CD 2) Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most (3:57)
32 (CD 2) Madalena (3:28)
33 (CD 2) Shiny Stockings (3:30)
34 (CD 2) I Can't Stop Loving You (5:20)
35 (CD 2) C Jam Blues (10:50)
36 (CD 3) Sweet Georgia Brown (3:15)
37 (CD 3) They Can't Take That Away from Me (4:41)
38 (CD 3) Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye (2:52)
39 (CD 3) Man I Love (8:22)
40 (CD 3) It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (7:21)
41 (CD 3) Lemon Drop (3:47)
42 (CD 3) Very Thought of You (4:14)
43 (CD 3) Happy Blues (5:56)
44 (CD 3) Caravan (2:19)
45 (CD 3) Satin Doll (2:37)
46 (CD 3) Teach Me Tonight (4:27)
47 (CD 3) Wave (5:01)
48 (CD 3) It's All Right With Me (2:48)
49 (CD 3) How High the Moon (7:18)
50 (CD 3) 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do (5:42)
51 (CD 4) Too Close for Comfort (3:25)
52 (CD 4) I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues (4:06)
53 (CD 4) Day by Day (1:46)
54 (CD 4) Ordinary Fool (3:15)
55 (CD 4) Billie's Bounce (4:44)
56 (CD 4) Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (1:46)
57 (CD 4) Make Me Rainbows (3:12)
58 (CD 4) After You've Gone (3:34)
59 (CD 4) 'Round Midnight (4:21)
60 (CD 4) You've Changed (3:04)
61 (CD 4) Basella (10:00)
62 (CD 4) Manteca (2:30)
63 (CD 4) Willow Weep for Me (5:17)
64 (CD 4) All of Me (3:34)
65 (CD 4) Blue Moon (3:58)
66 (CD 4) Night and Day (3:37)
67 (CD 4) Flying Home (8:38)
On this four-CD set are some of Ella Fitzgerald's finest live performances during the years she was
managed by Norman Granz. All of the material (which is taken from ten different performances in
1953, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1983) was previously released on various
Pablo albums. Since this is a best-of collection and was lovingly put together by the knowledgeable
producer Eric Miller, the music is consistently rewarding and emphasizes the interpretive skills,
scatting and jazz phrasing of the First Lady of Song. Although mostly backed by her trio/quartets of
the period, Ella does get to jam "Perdido" with the 1953 JATP All-Stars, is backed by the Duke
Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras on some songs and revisits "Flying Home" with an all-star group
in 1983. The most remarkable performance is 1972's "C Jam Blues" which features Ella trading off
remarkable musical jokes with Al Grey, Stan Getz, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and
Roy Eldridge. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Musicians:
Bobby Plater Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Waymon Reed Trumpet
Dave Richards Engineer
Mickey Roker Drums
[CENSORED]t Sims Sax (Tenor)
Tom Size Remixing
Ray Tunia Piano
Danny Turner Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Val Valentin Engineer
Mel Wanzo Trombone
John Williams Trombone
Dennis Wilson Trombone
Sam Woodyard Drums
George Cohen Trumpet
Bub Hooks Saxophone
Mitchell Wood Trombone
John Williams Trombone
Phil Carroll Art Direction
Joe Tarantino Engineer
Duke Ellington Orchestra Orchestra
Count Basie Orchestra Orchestra
Chuck Conners Trombone
Bobby Durham Drums
Eric Miller Producer, Remixing, Compilation Producer
John Timperly Engineer
Benny Green Liner Notes
Russell Procope Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Chuck Connors Trombone
Bob Cranshaw Bass
Angel Balestier Engineer
Benny Carter Sax (Alto)
Keter Betts Bass
Norman Granz Producer
Ray Brown Bass
Ray Brown Trumpet
Harry Carney Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Clark Terry Trumpet
Paul Cohen Trumpet
Joe Comfort Bass
Buster Cooper Trombone
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Sax (Tenor)
Frank DeLaRosa Bass
Phil DeLancie Remixing
Eric Dixon Trombone, Sax (Alto), Saxophone
Duke Ellington Piano
Charlie Fowlkes Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Jimmy Hamilton Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
J.C. Heard Drums
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Bass
Kenny Hing Saxophone
Bill Hughes Trombone
J.J. Johnson Trombone
Gus Johnson Drums
Herb Jones Trumpet
Jimmy Jones Piano
John Lamb Bass
David Luke Editing, Digital Transfers, Remixing
Cat Anderson Trumpet
Count Basie Piano
Louie Bellson Drums
Harry "Sweets" Edison Trumpet
Roy Eldridge Trumpet
Mercer Ellington Trumpet
Herb Ellis Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar
Ella Fitzgerald Vocals, Main Performer
Tommy Flanagan Piano
Jimmy Forrest Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Stan Getz Sax (Tenor)
Paul Gonsalves Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Freddie Green Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar
Al Grey Trombone
Bill Harris Trombone
Johnny Hodges Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Pete Minger Trumpet
Joe Pass Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar
Curtis Peagler Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Oscar Peterson Piano
Flip Phillips Sax (Tenor)
Paul Smith Piano
Willie Smith Sax (Alto)
Ben Webster Sax (Tenor)
Charlie Shavers Trumpet
Cootie Williams Trumpet
Lawrence Brown Trombone
Rufus "Speedy" Jones Drums
Ed Thigpen Drums
