Search - Ella Fitzgerald :: Ella/Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Ella's rock, soul, and jazz masterpiece

Some singing! | Los Angeles, Calif. | 08/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"famed producer richard perry produced this ella classic rock, pop and soul collection of neilson,motown,beatles and other great 60's song's that ella makes completely her own-i went to see ella numerous times in la from the late 60' to the late 80's and even got a autograph on the cover of my original copy of ella that i cherish to this day!! she was so kind when i came face to face with her and she was gracious to her fans in person-when i got to see her at the now grove with the DUKE at the piano, that was truly sublime!!! the companion lp in this release is ella with the big band master gerald wilson at the helm and the results is classic ella jazz set-enjoy as this is truly as good as it gets!!!"

Ella's Pop Jazz Swing Rock and Roll Recording

KSG | New York, NY United States | 12/31/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a re-release of Ella's two recordings for Warner Brothers on one CD. It's 1969 and Ella does jazz/rock versions of The Beatles, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye and Nilsson. It may seem kitsch, but it's not. Gerald Wilson's arrangements of Got To Get You Into My Life and Savoy Truffle invent a new sound that would later be explored by Earth, Wind and Fire. The first half of the CD is pure pop while the second is more classic standards territory. Buy this and Sunshine of Your Love to hear Ella take on the psycedelic 60's in a unique and swinging way."

THE ESSENTIAL JAZZ AND SOUL OF ELLA!!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 10/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ella Fitzgerald was a versatile singer who could venture into any area of music that she pleased and master it even though the jazz establishment wanted to keep her boxed into only singing old jazz standards...Ella refused to be stifled by these limititations and this great double lp collection is the result...Ella went into the studio in the late sixties with famed record producer Richard Perry and the results are nothing short of extraordinary with one of the most adventuresome and satisfying collections of her brilliant career. Opening this unusual session with a rhythmic and funky version of the Smokey Robinson classic "Get Ready", Ella is wildly soulful and breaks into a great scat routine that is amazing and this could have been a huge hit if it would have been given any airplay at all!! A sly and seductive Ella on another Smokey Robinson gem "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game", Ella then becomes exotic and playful with a superb version of Randy Newman's "Yellow Man". A smooth Ella flows brilliantly through Burt Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and it is clear by now that Ella brings her own unique flair to each of these songs making them completely her own and in a most brilliant and engrossing way! A masterful vocal and a rocking arrangement make for the definitive version of the Lennon/McCartney classic "Got To Get You Into My Life" which flows beautifully into Randy Newman's gospel rocker "I Wonder Why" that Ella totally rips apart. Sublime vocal beauty enchants with a gorgeous take on the Smokey Robinson classic "Ooo Baby Baby" which must have been a thrill for Smokey to hear sung so brilliantly by the legendary Ella Fitzgerald in a version that matches his own great original!!! Ella rocks out making George Harrison's "Savory Truffle" incredibly great and flows into a hauntingly gorgeous "Open Your Window" which features a breathtakingly beautiful and wonderfully magical vocal. Ella is inspired thoughtout this great album and at a creative and vocal peak making it unfortunate that this adventuresome set was a one of a kind classic in her career...Ella was completely up to the challenge of doing something different and very contemporary and makes each song an extraordinary listening experience unlike any other!!! Closing with the earthy and rocking "Knock On Wood", Ella's voice is a great mix of smooth soulfulness and rough grit and anyone who loves an extraordinarily great voice at its peak will find this collection a real treasure chest of incomparable performances...Bravo Ella because you proved that you could rock-out and turn contemporary songs into classics with the best of them!!!! After this groundbreaking album Ella followed brilliantly with the updated classic Ella styled "Things Ain't What They Used To Be..." which has a great mix of the current material at that time and some standards all done with wonderful big band arrangements by master arranger and conductor Gerald Wilson. Ella is stunning on classics such as "Black Coffee", "Tuxedo Junction", "I Heard It Throught The Grapevine" and stretches all of the songs in this great album to the max with awesome scat routines and loose and exciting vocals making this one of the finest collections in her legendary career. The epitome of greatness and sophisication is Ella's sublime vocal on "Don't Dream Of Anyone But Me" reminding us what a once in a lifetime treasure Ella was and what a loss it is not to be able to go and see her in concert or pick up a new release such as these priceless treasures at a record shop...I miss that...and Thank You Ella for all the wonderful years of sharing your brillance and being the finest!"