WE ALL LOVE ELLA: CELEBRATING THE FIRST LADY OF SONG - VARIOUS ARTISTS
The epitome of vocal interpretation was embodied in Ella Fitzgerald. Whether getting her jazz groove on, scatting nimbly across a few bars or colorfully reinterpreting pop standards, Fitzgerald, who died in 1996, could do it all. That versatility is at the heart of this album, one in a series of releases that are part of Verve’s yearlong celebration of the singer’s 90th birthday year. Gathered here are pop, jazz, blues and R&B vets and fresh faces singing various Fitzgerald classics: “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” (Natalie Cole), “The Lady Is a Tramp” (Queen Latifah), “Miss Otis Regrets” (Linda Ronstadt) and “Angel Eyes” (a quietly powerful k.d. lang). Even more mesmerizing are the turns by newcomers Lizz Wright, Ledisi and amazing teen singer Nikki Yanofsky. Still, there’s no topping the lady herself. Her sumptuous duet with Stevie Wonder on “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” recorded live in 1977, rounds out this album of vocal treats. Billboard
