Ella Fitzgerald - 1964 - Sings The Johnny Mercer Song Book (2013)
HDTracks download, 24 bits, 96 KHz

Along with her Rodgers and Hart collection, this is one of the best of Ella Fitzgerald's songbooks. Fitzgerald's assured and elegant voice is a perfect match for Mercer's urbane lyrics and Nelson Riddle's supple arrangements. In light of this decorous setting, it's not surprising that Mercer's swagger-heavy numbers like "I Wanna Be Around" and "One More For My Baby" are skipped in favor of more poised selections such as "Early Autumn" and "Skylark." Even traditionally hard-swinging numbers such as "Day In Day Out" and "Something's Gotta Give" are kept in check with Riddle's vaporous, flute-heavy backing and Fitzgerald's velvet tone. Slower numbers like "Laura" and "Midnight Sun" add dramatic contrast with their enigmatic tonal backdrops and elongated vocal phrasing. Fitzgerald's Mercer songbook has become something of an overlooked gem partly because of the popularity of her Cole Porter and Gershwin collections. It's a shame, because this songbook is beautifully executed by Fitzgerald and Riddle and contains wonderful Mercer collaborations with, among others, Harold Arlen and Hoagy Charmichael. This is definitely one for any Fitzgerald fan and not a bad introduction to her vast catalog. (AllMusic)

Track list:
01 - Too Marvelous For Words
02 - Early Autumn
03 - Day In Day Out
04 - Laura
05 - This Time The Dream's On Me
06 - Skylark
07 - Single-O
08 - Something's Gotta Give
09 - Trav'lin Light
10 - Midnight Sun
11 - Dream (When You're Feeling Blue)
12 - I Remember You
13 - When A Woman Loves A Man

Personnel:
Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
Nelson Riddle, arranger and conductor
Paul Smith on piano
Plas Johnson on tenor sax
Willie Smith on alto sax
Buddy DeFranco on clarinet
Frank Flynn on vibes

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