Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book est l’un des joyaux de la mythique série Songbook de Ella Fitzgerald, enregistrée pour Verve Records en 1956.

Sur ce double album, Ella revisite avec élégance le répertoire du duo légendaire Richard Rodgers et Lorenz Hart, figures majeures de la comédie musicale américaine. Accompagnée d’un orchestre somptueux arrangé et dirigé par Buddy Bregman, elle donne une nouvelle vie à des standards intemporels.

Des titres comme “My Funny Valentine”, “The Lady Is a Tramp” ou “Blue Moon” prennent ici une dimension à la fois intime et sophistiquée. La voix d’Ella, d’une précision et d’une chaleur incomparables, navigue entre swing, tendresse et virtuosité.

Cet album incarne parfaitement l’âge d’or du jazz vocal et reste une référence incontournable pour les amateurs comme pour les collectionneurs.

Musicians :
Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Pete Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Ray Linn (trumpet), Milt Bernhart, Joe Howard, Lloyd Ulyate (trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), Vince DeRosa (French horn), Bud Shank, Maurice Stein, Bob Cooper, Ted Nash, Chuck Gentry, Abe Most, Willie Schwartz (reeds, woodwinds), Paul Smith (piano), Barney Kessel (guitar), Joe Mondragon (bass), Alvin Stoller (drums).

- Ella Fitzgerald "Sings The Rodgers and Hart Song Book" !
- Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve / Universal Music Enterprises !
- Monthly releases highlighting the world's most historic and best jazz records !
- Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from the original analog master tape !
- 180 gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings !
- Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets !
- Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds !

The second of her celebrated song books albums and heralded as one of the best vocal jazz albums ever made, Ella and arranger/conductor Buddy Bregman began work on the Rodgers and Hart sessions three months after the release of her Cole Porter Songbook. Like its predecessor, it features the cream of West Coast session musicians, many of whom graced the fabulous recordings that Frank Sinatra was making around the same time in the same studio. Maynard Ferguson (trumpet), Milt Bernhart (trombone), Herb Geller, and Ted Nash and Bud Shank (reeds), Barney Kessel (guitar), & Alvin Stoller (drums). The album is full of standards that everyone knows and loves, but in Ella's hands these songs become even more special. Standouts include "There's a Small Hotel", "You Took Advantage of Me", and the perennial, "My Funny Valentine".

Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180 gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.