ALBUM REVIEW: Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book

    The United States doesn't have classical composers, at least not in the traditional sense—we don't have the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, or Chopin to our name. Nevertheless, America does have its own form of classical musicians, and you can find all of them on Tin Pan Alley. These songwriters are as significant to our own musical canon as any of the great composers of the 18th and 19th century are to Europe; while we may not have Beethoven, we still have Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwin Brothers, Irving Berlin, and in today's case, Cole Porter. Porter's extensive catalog of written works spans across four decades of musicals, films, and plain ol' publishing. With a count of over 800 songs to his name, Porter left an indelible mark on western music, and many of his songs have since become standards. Fitzgerald was far from the first person to ever put her spin on Porter's music, but she may be one of the firsts to compile it together in one place. Across two discs and 32 songs, Fitzgerald (with the help of arranger Buddy Bregman) brings Cole Porter's work to a new stratosphere. Bregman's lively interpretations in the language of jazz, coupled with a Fitzgerald at the height of her vocal prowess, melds beautifully with the earnest, sentimental, and often witty lyrics of Porter to help create what is essentially a new American canon. It was Fitzgerald's first in her series of "song book" albums, and there is perhaps no better way to begin than with this album.

    On many levels, the musical elements of this album are absolutely brilliant, and they hold just as much appeal as Porter's timeless songwriting style. My hat is tipped both to producer Norman Granz and arranger Buddy Bregman. The former has intelligently re-imagined the material to be perfectly fluent in the language of jazz and swing. His arrangements are dynamic, too, and with a masterful sense for adapting to the song at hand, which makes for a lively album that can go from the piano-only ballad that is "Miss Otis Regrets" straight into the vamping number that is "Too Darn Hot" immediately after. The songs are allowed to crescendo and gently descend in any way they're able too, from the exciting horns into the gentle piano refrain of "Always True to You In My Fashion" to the slow build and spectacular finish of "From This Moment On". It all melds together into an assuredly flavorful taste of American jazz and swing, one that is both perfectly dated to 1956 and timeless all the same. Just as much debt is owed to Granz's production work, who himself encouraged Fitzgerald to do the "song book" format in the first place. Under his eye, we're gifted with a sharp-sounding, breathing album that's every bit as potent as it needs to be. It all sounds so wonderfully clear! The way Ella's voice glides over woodwinds and punches with the brass is certain to please. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest sounding jazz records of its time, and it hasn't even lost a tiny bit of luster nearly 70 years later.

    How remiss I would be if I weren't to talk about miss Fitzgerald herself? On this album, she proves herself one of the finest singers to ever stand in front of a microphone. Her performances are much like the music that serves as the delivery device for her singing—it's potent and adaptable throughout, perfectly suited for the lovely arrangements that meld with her. It goes beyond just the sheer power of her voice, which is especially evident on moments such as the exciting "Ace in the Hole" or the simply beautiful "So in Love". Fitzgerald's diction is just brilliant, so much so that even Cole Porter complimented it when hearing this album for the first time. But it's also the way she performs material: a certain amount of wit and cleverness to her singing that seems to bring out something new in the words themselves; her gentle ballad work on "Miss Otis Regrets" not only shows a melancholy, but a sardonic element to the work; a playfulness that's only emphasized in "Anything Goes", "You're the Top", or "I've Got You Under My Skin"; a gorgeous amount of directness on "So in Love" or "I Concentrate on You". Fitzgerald finds new layers of depth in her interpretations of Porter's works, and she has the ability to make them all come to life almost effortlessly. Not a single performance from her under-delivers on this album, and it may very well stand as one of the greatest performances for any album. Ever. It's nothing short of fantastic.

    In capturing the music of Cole Porter through the medium of jazz, Fitzgerald helped to canonize his music as that of a great American composer, one who has every right to stand with the greats. The music comes off playful, sentimental, vibrant, and exciting, all while keeping the wise and wonderful nature of its original writer. Even today, something remains thoroughly invigorating with this album; could it be the fantastic arrangements, the timeless music, or Ella's incomparable voice? Ultimately, it's all three at once. Fitzgerald's double album is not only a brilliant body of work, but it in many ways feels like a historic document—a preservation and demonstration of just how colorful Porter's music is, in all of its beautiful eccentricities. Ella's continuing work at Verve would yield her most beloved work, and in many ways  Sings the Cole Porter Song Book began an indelible legacy of artistry. If she hadn't been the Queen of Jazz before, than this album is almost certainly coronation worthy. It's a cultural touchstone—the legitimization of the pop album, the start of Ella's greatest period, and the transcription of America's classical music. Essential.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book.