Amazing and beautiful.This is the Ella Fitzgerald album that
Daveyboots | Brighton & Hove | 02/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a very special album of excellent songs with gorgeous orchestral arrangements by Frank DeVol and Ella singing at her very best. Scandalously unattainable for many years (I had been trying to find it for 20 years), "Hello love" is now widely available. The album exudes a slow, lazy groove with each song embellished here and there with restrained, but intricate, seductive little saxophone, flute or horn solos. Ella's singing matches the instrumentalists skills as she expertly phrases, vibratos and bends and slides notes with perfect dynamics and control. As do most accomplished musicians, she makes it sound completely effortless and natural. With their stunning arrangements, "You go to my head" and "Tenderly" send me somewhere else every time I listen to them. Many of my visitors, both young and old have been blown away by this music and felt compelled to go and buy it for themselves. Recommended to those who like good music."
Subtle but at moments corny
Nikica Gilic | Zagreb, Croatia | 12/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ella is around her vocal peaks at this record; she is even more subtle than usual on some numbers. DeVol's orchestra is more than competent (some great musicians are involved) but not sufficiently jazzy for my tastes - the arrangements are at times a bit corny if you ask me...
These love songs are mostly beautiful and make for magnificent popular music on verge of becoming good jazz. If I were grading it as a jazz record, four stars would be way too much, but since it is not a jazz record, one might even argue that I'm too harsh in giving it only four stars...."
Simple Elegance
Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* | CA USA | 05/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is Ella Fitzgerald in her most romantic form.
This CD, "Hello Love" offers some of the most romantic moments in Ella Fitzgerald's illustrious singing career. The album was originally recorded in 1959 and in 2004, the original recording was remastered and released in a CD format by Verve Records. With a dozen of some of the greatest songs from the Great American Songbook, this CD promises an awesome listening experience not only for Ella fans but also for lovers of Great American Songbook.
Just like all of her recordings, Ms. Ella projects simple elegance yet overflowing with sheer vocal seductiveness as showcased in the lovely songs in this CD. With the superb orchestration of Frank DeVol and the excellent musicianship of his own full orchestra, you can't go wrong and you'll be treated to some of her most beautiful recordings of all-time. She embraced each song with love and affection making her interpretations the best ones ever.
The finest tracks and my favorites are "You Go To My Head," "Stairway To The Stars," "Tenderly," "I've Grown Accustomed To His Face" and a song composed by John Rufus Sharpe and Jerry Herst and made popular by Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, "So Rare."
"So rare
This is a heaven on earth we share
Caring the way we care
Ours is a love so rare"
Ms. Ella's CDs from my collection have continuously delighted my auditory sense and this one is not an exception. This is absolutely one of her best. Her beautiful voice has always been soothing and pleasant to listen to.
Most definitely recommended for your listening enjoyment."
Ella at Her Best!
Boston Jim | Carlsbad, CA United States | 05/03/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Excellent CD! Ella does a great job on ballads. Of course she had a great voice with a very effortless style. I enjoyed every song on this CD from the opener "You Go to My Head" (which Ella seems to sing different than anyone else) to "Moonlight in Vermont". She seems to give a fresh interpretation to these standards including "Tenderly" "I'm Through with Love" and "I've Grown Accoustomed to His Face" so that you just enjoy listening to them and don't bother comparing to other versions. I've become a big Ella fan, and CD's of this quality keep bringing back for more. I wish I had seen her in concert."