LP – Ella Fitzgerald And Louis Armstrong / Ella And Louis ⁠(180g)

LP, Verve Recordings, 2022.

MG V-4003, 602435972336

After appearing together at an all-star concert the night before, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong went into an L.A. studio to record this gem of an album. Despite having little to no time for rehearsals, the sublime artistic mastery of Ella and Louis and the instant chemistry they achieved resulted in one of the few truly indispensable recordings in all of jazz. Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging. ⁠

Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Herb Ellis (guitar), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (double bass), Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Ray Brown (bass guitar) ⁠

Recorded: 1956-08-16 Recording Venue: Hollywood, CA: Capitol

1. Paul James, Kay Swift: Can’t We Be Friends? 3:45

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Herb Ellis (guitar), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (double bass), Oscar Peterson (piano)

2. Berlin, I: Isn’t This a Lovely Day? 6:15

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar)

3. John M. Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf: Moonlight In Vermont 3:39

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar)

4. Gershwin: They Can’t Take That Away From Me 4:39

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), Buddy Rich (drums), Oscar Peterson (piano)

5. Jerry Livingston: Under A Blanket Of Blue 4:15

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar)

6. Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross: Tenderly 5:07

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (bass guitar), Herb Ellis (guitar)

7. Gershwin: A Foggy Day (In London Town) 4:31

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar)

8. Mitchell Parish, Frank S. Perkins: Stars Fell On Alabama 3:31

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Herb Ellis (guitar), Buddy Rich (drums), Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass guitar)

9. Berlin, I: Cheek to cheek 5:52

   Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong (trumpet), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (double bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), Oscar Peterson (piano)

10. Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington: The Nearness Of You 5:40

    Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (bass guitar), Herb Ellis (guitar)

11. E.Y. Harburg: April In Paris 6:33

    Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums), Ray Brown (bass guitar), Herb Ellis (guitar)