Ella Fitzgerald at the Opera House was originally issued both ¡n stereo and mono versions. While the stereo LP presented the actual Opera House performance, the mono recordings contained a similar performance at the Shrine Auditorium ¡n Los Angeles. Both concerts are presented on this edition, which also includes a rare reading of «How High the Moon» appearing here on CD for the first time ever.
***** Down Beat (19581 «Here, in a JATP set cut in performance at Chicago’s Opera House, ¡s some of the best jazz singing Ella has done ¡n years. Ella roars. She sings ballads with a fine jazz feeling. She scats like a tenor man digging in and wailing on a night when everything breaks just right. This LP should help explain why she keeps knocking over poll after poll as a jazz singer.» Dom Cerulli.
«Incidentally, I submit that Ella’s performance of ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’ is irrefutably the most incredible, brilliant jazz vocal performance ever put to wax.»
Norman Granz (from the original liner notes]
ELLA FITZGERALD, vocal on all tracks, plus:
1-9: OSCAR PETERSON (pl, RAY BROWN (bl, JO JONES Id). On 9 Roy Eldridge |tp), J.J. Johnson (tb), Sonny Stitt (asi, Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Flip Phillips (tsl added. Chicago Opera House, Chicago, September 29, 1957.
10-18: OSCAR PETERSON (p|, RAY BROWN (b), JO JONES (di. On 17-18 Roy Eldridge (tp), J.J. Johnson (tb), Sonny Stitt (as), Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Flip Phillips (ts) added, and Connie Kay (d) replaces Jones. Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, October 7, 1957.
19: BONUS TRACK. Lo u Levy Ipl, Herb EUis Ig], Willed Middlebrooks Ib), Gus Johnson (d). Playboy Jazz Festival, Chicago, August 9,1959.
See 12-page booklet for complete information.
Tracks:
Total Time: 67:56