Search - Ella Fitzgerald :: Whisper Not (Special Packaging)

FINALLY ON COMPACT DISC!

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 04/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Ella Fitzgerald will be thrilled to finally see this one put on compact disc for the first time. One of those rare departures for the beloved Ella Fitzgerald from the wildly successful and now classic Songbook Series, WHISPER NOT teams Ella with arranger/conductor extraordinaire Marty Paich. Infusing the charts with his West Coast arranging magic, Ella zips through a handful of tunes, starting right in with a scintilating version of the old chestnut SWEET GEORGIA BROWN. The title track seemed to be a favorite among the be-bop scene (Dizzy Gillespie had a good hit with WHISPER NOT, and Stan Getz covered it nicely as well) and Ella and Marty seem to take their cues from those shuffling versions without too much ado. Ella's reading of THANKS FOR THE MEMORY is wistful and plaintive, recalling her version many years earlier for Decca (is it me or were there times when Ella re-recorded a song years later and still had the same sweetness and tone as the original?) Other swingers are a souped up version of OL' MACDONALD (no doubt inspired by Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle's updating of this kid's tune) and a tune of the day (back in '66) WIVES AND LOVERS (while this one is a Jack Jones signature, it is a nice change to hear a female version, and nicer yet since the female is Ella!) Special LP style packaging is a really nice touch not available on domestic releases up until now; a good way of bridging the gap that UMV has caused between themselves and jazz fans since buying Verve out. Hoping they continue releasing the great albums that deserve to be out there. Just like this one!"

One of Ella Fitzgerald's most sought-after albums

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 06/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Whisper Not' is probably one of Ella Fitzgerald's most sought-after albums, being that it was a rare departure for her, as most of the things she was recording in the same period were for her legendary 'Songbook' series.This is a limited-edition reissue from Universal which presents the album complete with the original Verve LP artwork, and the original liner notes.Among the great numbers in this collection are "Matchmaker Matchmaker" from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, "Sweet Georgia Brown", "I Said No", "Time After Time" and "Wives and Lovers". Fitzgerald recorded the numbers in a single sitting, which proves beyond a doubt that she still is one of the most remarkable performers of all time.Ella is accompanied here by the wonderful Marty Paich and his orchestra.This limited-edition reissue is being discontinued in early 2005, but I hear that copies will get harder and harder to get as early as next year, so I advise anyone who has yet to buy this album to snap it up now."

This album is a classic.

gerhart30 | Kokomo, IN United States | 10/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally my wait is over for this recording to become available on CD. I bought it on LP when it first came out and I was 20 years old. I loved it then and I love it now. I have my favorite cuts, including "You've Changed," "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Lover Man," and the title cut, but every cut is a winner making this album a classic up there with Sgt. Pepper's and Dark Side of the Moon. The sounds of the Marty Paich orchestra compliment Ella's voice to perfection.Maybe the reason I like this recording so well has to do with when I first heard it, but I don't think so. I think this is one of the best jazz vocal albums ever made."