Ella Fitzgerald: The Legendary First Lady of Song

It's no bulletin that Ella Fitzgerald was one of the best and most popular singers of the 20th century; in fact, a case could be made that she was the best, period, blessed with a warm, pure voice and a rare combination of chops, taste, and unparalleled sense of swing that made her a jazz virtuoso. This musical biography covers the major bases: her childhood in Virginia and New York, the death of her parents, a stint in an orphan asylum due to chronic truancy and other transgressions, her debut at the Apollo in 1934, her first recording (with drummer Chick Webb), the hits "Mr. Paganini" (her first scat singing on record) and "A-Tisket A-Tasket," the landmark "songbook" albums (focusing on the work of Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, the Gershwins, and others), her marriages (including one to bassist Ray Brown), and so on. But hearing her music is very different from simply hearing about it, and it is here that The Legendary First Lady of Song too often falls woefully short. A filmed concert of Fitzgerald in Brussels is amazing—but why is a sublime version of "Angel Eyes" the only song we hear and see in anything close to its entirety? If the filmmakers went to the trouble of licensing this stuff, why bury it under a parade of talking heads (including host Nancy Wilson and various contemporaries, as well as excerpts from a 1985 interview with the singer herself) who rattle on while the music fades into the background? Bottom line: this is a serviceable biography, but those who really want to appreciate Fitzgerald's greatness should instead check out Ella Fitzgerald: Live in '57 & '63 (which features the Brussels concert) from the acclaimed Jazz Icons series. Optional. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)