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| These 16 gorgeous tracks prove that nobody could shape a jazz ballad like Ella. With saxist Ben Webster & others. |
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| 1 From This Moment On |
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| 2 Solitude |
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| 3 Love You Madly |
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| 4 All the Things You Are |
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| 5 I Concentrate on You |
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| 6 Out of This World |
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| 7 How About Me? |
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| 8 I'm Beginning to See the Light |
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| 9 The Man I Love |
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| 10 I Remember You |
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| 11 I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart |
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| 12 Always |
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| 13 Just One of Those Things |
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| 14 Prelude to a Kiss |
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| 15 All Too Soon |
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| 16 Lover |
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Album Review
Are you one of those people who can't walk through the jazz section without mooning over the lavishly packaged and heart-droppingly expensive sixteen-disc "Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books" set? If so, you're not alone, and Verve knows it. So to keep you from slashing your wrists, the company has been releasing single-disc compilations drawn from the set -- the first was an overview entitled "3/4st of the Song Books", the second a perfect bachelor pad accessory called simply "The Ballads". This latest one appears redundant at first glance -- why follow "The Ballads" with "Love Songs"? -- but a listen dispels that impression quickly. Though there are several excellent slow numbers, including glorious versions of "Prelude To A Kiss" and "I Concentrate on You," the album is dominated by medium- and uptempo standards such as "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" and "Love You Madly." The settings vary from the lush orchestrations of Nelson Riddle and Billy May to standard small-group arrangements, though the focus is on larger ensembles. That's kind of too bad, since Ella always seemed to loosen up a bit more with her small groups -- one of the most beautiful moments on this disc is her rendition of "Solitude," on which she is accompanied only by Barney Kessel's guitar. But every track is a wonder, and though it won't stop you from pining after the whole thing, this disc is a welcome window on the "Song Books" set. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
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• Biography
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Other albums by: Ella Fitzgerald |
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