It's difficult to choose between this collection of Ella Fitzgerald's work and the collection Ken Burns issued along with Jazz. While there's some overlap between the two, the Burns' CD covers a wider sweep of her career - from her mid-thirties version of A-Tisket A-Tasket (the version here was recorded live in 1961) to the late sixties. Everything on here was recorded sometime between the late fifties and early sixties - prime Ella Fitzgerald, but it's a shame to miss out on the early stuff.

Still, if I really HAD to limit myself to only one Ella Fitzgerald CD, it would have to be this one. Burns doesn't include her duets with Louis Armstrong on "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "Summertime," and there isn't any music ever made that is more breathtaking than Fitzgerald and Armstrong together. Their honey and sandpaper voices play off each other in a way that defies description. And I'd nominate their version of "Summertime" as the best single recording ever made. I can't hear it too many times. If you don't own a copy of it, there's a big hole in your record collection - no, make that a big hole in your LIFE -that you must repair immediately.

Also, while the Burns' CD shows off Ella's gorgeous voice and glorious scatting (Ella's scatting is a cure for anything that ails you), I think he shortchanges her ballad work. "Misty" and "My Funny Valentine" ought to be on any intro to Ella Fitzgerald.

The thing to remember about any introduction to Ella Fitzgerald, though, is that it's just an appetizer - something to hold you until you save up enough money for the complete works. Until you do, this is a really fine collection.

Ella is an extraordinary and refreshing exception to most Jazz vocalists. Many Jazz singers have a very bad technique, producing their sound from their throats in an unhealthy manner. Ella, however, has the technique and stamina of a classical singer. This why her career peaked in her 40's and was able to sing until very late in her life.

Her singing is pure joy. She never strains or manipulates her vocal chords to produce that gorgeous, rich voice that just melts your heart out. The ease and beauty with which she sings, frankly, makes me question her humanity.

If you want the best of Ella Fitzgerald, THIS CD is it. It is the premiere comprehensive single-CD sampling of her career. The recording features some of her best collaborations with arrangers (Nelson Riddle, Billy May, etc.) and performers (Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie.)

The musical selections are excellent. The Verve label has chosen a balance of 9 high-energy swing numbers and 9 romantic ballads.

Some remarkable swingers are MACK THE KNIFE, a live recording in Berlin (1960) where she blanks out on a verse and has to improvise. I'm smiling thinking about it. Another is HOW HIGH THE MOON, in which she scats incredibly for about 6 minutes. Throughout the rendition she adds (and revises) brief tidbits of random American standard songs, like SMOKE GETS IN YOU EYES: "They ask me how I knew my true love was true/ I have course replied, 'Something here inside...SWEAT gets in my eyes!" Ella enjoys entertaining while she sings, and her infectious interpretations pull the listener in; especially on the 5 live recordings on this CD, where one finds himself laughing along with the audience at times.

Buy this now. Ella will really impress you!

This is the best Ella CD available. If you must have only one (or are buying your first) buy this one.

The creators of this CD spent a lot of time putting this recent collection together. The superb selections were thoughfully chosen, and the modern engineering is wonderful. Every song is a masterpiece. It is truly an astonishing CD.

From her astonishing live performanced, to her mind-boggling scatting, to her rich, sultry love ballads, to her legendary duets with Louis Armstrong, to her just wonderful interpretations of so many great jazz songs with such a wide variety of great orchestras and wide variety of vocal tones... this woman is unbelievable on this CD.

In one CD, you'll know why she is the First Lady of song. Amazing!

I stumbled upon this collection by accident and was totally blown away. I don't think a better ever singer ever lived than Ella, and these songs are one amazing performance after another. A lot of fun!

She opens with the swinging "Mack The Knife" and moves on to one amazing performance after another. Her version of "Misty" is unbelievable. You have to hear it.

Listen to her completely destroy any other contenders to "best singer of all time" with astonishing scatting on "How High The Moon." It's almost unreal, but actually recorded live in Berlin.

You have to hear this CD!!

Amazing!

This is my first Cd of Ella Fitzgerald; and it has really exceeded my expectations. It has a lot of popular songs, sung by other artists. Some of the songs, especially Mack the Knife, I didnt think I would enjoy since I have heard them so many times by other artists; but Ella's take on it is hillarious and entertaining. I read up on it after I heard it, and it is her performance live in berlin in the 60's and she forgot the words to half of the song but still managed to make it work with her own words. - She also does a dead on impression of louie armstrong in it. I love it. I also like her How High the Moon. And A Tisket A Tasket is great too ('high-ho silver!'). Even though most of the songs are live (or at least sound like it - I have read that sometimes artists would reproduce in studios their live performances), the sound quality is still excellent. This cd always puts a smile on my face.