Ella Fitzgerald Rodgers & Hart Songbook, Vol. 1 CD

Buddy Bregman's Orchestra includes: Buddy Bregman (conductor); Bud Shank (soprano & alto saxophones, flugelhorn, clarinet), Willie Schwartz (soprano & alto saxophones, clarinet); Bob Cooper (tenor saxophone, clarinet, English horn, oboe); Ted Nash (soprano & tenor saxophones, flugelhorn, clarinet); Chuck Gentry (baritone saxophone, baritone clarinet); Maurice Stein (alto saxophone); Pete Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Ray Linn (trumpet); Milt Bernhart (trombone); George Roberts (bass trombone); Vincent DeRosa (french horn); Paul Smith (cello, piano); Robert La Marchina, Edgar Lustgarten (cello); Barney Kessel (guitar); Joe Mondragon (bass); Alvin Stoller (drums).

Recorded in 1956. Includes liner notes by Art Hilgart, William Simon; and original liner notes by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II.

All tracks have been digitally remastered using 20-bit technology.

Volume One of the RODGERS AND HART SONGBOOK was one of Ella Fitzgerald's most artistically and commercially successful albums, so obviously a sequel was called for. You'd be forgiven for expecting lukewarm leftovers, but given the range and depth of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's catalogue, it's not entirely surprising that THE RODGERS AND HART SONGBOOK VOLUME TWO is even better than the original.

Opening with the little-known but wonderfully sly New York love song "Give It Back To The Indians," VOLUME TWO sprints through 16 other Rodgers and Hart classics in just over 56 minutes, including their early gems "There's a Small Hotel" and "Mountain Greenery," an exquisite "Blue Moon," and one of the very best of the seemingly hundreds of versions of the standard "My Funny Valentine." This is a remarkable tribute to one of pop music's greatest songwriting teams.

This was the second of the Song Books that Ella Fitzgerald recorded for the Verve label in the mid 1950s. The brilliant Nelson Riddle hadn't yet signed on, but Verve staff arranger Buddy Bregman was fully up to the task of providing musical settings for Ella's letter-perfect readings of these lyrical and witty gems. Fitzgerald's voice, with its uncanny bell-like timbre, was the perfect vehicle for conveying the sheer beauty of "Spring Is Here," "It Never Entered My Mind," "I Could Write a Book," et al. On the other side, the exuberant "The Lady Is a Tramp" beats Sinatra at his own swingin' game yet retains the ladylike dignity which characterized Ella Fitzgerald even when she was having the most fun.

Digitally remastered by Dennis Drake (Polygram Studios).

Live Recording

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California from August 27-31, 1956. Includes liner notes by Deena Rosenberg.

Reissue producer: Richard Seidel.

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Paul Smith (piano); Barney Kessel (guitar); Joe Mondragon (bass); Alvin Stoller (drums).

Personnel includes: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Buddy Bregman (conductor).

Producer: Norman Granz.