The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America

It seems like there is going to be a movie made about Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald and the Savoy Ballroom called The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music That Changed America. Check out the video clips.

The documentary features interviews with Frankie Manning and Norma Miller.






(via Charlie)
What do you think of the movie? Please comment.

Nikki Yanofsky's Debut Album: Ella...Of Thee I Swing

Canada's jazz prodigy, Nikki Yanofsky, has just released her debut album: "Ella...Of Thee I Swing" as well as full concert DVD. Take a look at all the songs that are included on "Ella...Of Thee I Swing" and listen to them. You can also buy the cd on iTunes.

As the album title indicates, Nikki Yanofsky sings songs associated with Ella Fitzgerald. I think this is perfect for her first album, especially since Nikki got discovered when she sang Ella songs. It's worth noting that Nikki Yanofsky got discovered at an younger age than Ella Fitzgerald was. Nikki is 14 now, just imagine what her singing will be like in three years.

Nikki's voice has really matured a lot since I first heard her sing Airmail Special. It's still a little bit girlish, naturally, but I can't wait to hear more of her work in the coming years.

In the video clip above you'll find Nikki Yanofsky singing at Montreal Jazz Festival 2008.

What do you think of Nikki Yanofsky and her debut album: Ella...Of Thee I Swing? Please comment.

Enoch Light & The Light Brigade: Charleston

Here is a version of the song Charleston performed by Enoch Light & The Light Brigade from the album Big Hits of the 20s from 1971.

Enoch Light was one of the first musicians to really take advantage of stereo recording. He recorded all kinds of music but to me the most interesting music is his recordings of songs written in the 1920s-1940s.

Some of his other recordings are *cough* a bit obscure. Just listen to "I want to be happy cha cha", its very far from how the young Ella Fitzgerald sung it.

Take a look at this site to learn more about Enoch Light.

What do you think about the version of Charleston by Enoch Light? Please comment.

Summertime: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

It's seems to become a bright warm summer day today, the kind that promises endless opportunities for having fun and begs for not wasting a single minute of it.

A song that fits today is Summertime sung by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong. I like it because it's melancholic and has an epic feel to it. What do you feel when you hear this song? What kind of associations do you get as you listen?

Play it again: Summertime by Ray Brown Trio with Gene Harris on piano.

What do you think of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong singing Summertime? Please comment.

Ella Fitzgerald - I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Outside it's unusually warm for being February, could it be an effect of global warming or is it love in the air for the upcoming Valentines day, I don't know.

However, here is a video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" together with the Count Basie band and Roy Eldridge with a trumpet solo.



What do you think about the video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm? Tell me.

Nikki Yanofsky sings It Don't Mean a Thing

Here is Nikki Yanofsky singing It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) together with Canadian pianist Oliver Jones.



I featured Nikki Yanofsky some weeks ago where she sung Airmail Special, scatting just like Ella Fitzgerald. There seems to be a lot of interest in Nikki so I thought that I would present another video clip with her.

What I like about Nikki Yanofsky in this video clip is her phrasing, just listen to how she deliver the words, how she bends and stretches them or chops them up in perfect pieces. Excellent.

If you're interested in how Ella did it, take a look at Ella Fitzgerald singing "It Don't Mean a Thing".

What do you think of Nikki Yanofsky singing "It Don't Mean a Thing"? Tell me.

Ella Fitzgerald sings In a Mellow Tone

Since I've written about Ella Fitzgerald in connection with Marilyn Monroe and Nikki Yanofsky lately it's only timely to show a video clip with her. Here is Ella Fitzgerald singing "In a Mellow Tone" with the Oscar Peterson Trio.



I love that light and airy piano playing by Oscar Peterson and you can't but dig those bass lines played by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (NHØP), which is one of my favorite jazz bass players.

The song, In a Mellow Tone, was written in 1940 by Duke Ellington.

What do you think of Ella Fitzgerald singing "In a Mellow Tone"? Tell me.

Marilyn Monroe & Ella Fitzgerald

A couple of weeks ago I saw a documentary about Marilyn Monroe and her life: "American Masters" Marilyn Monroe: Still Life. In the documentary the story is connected through the photos taken of her by her friend photographer Milton H. Greene.

One of the things I found out was that Marilyn Monroe had a big part in helping Ella Fitzgerald launch a career as a mainstream singer. Marilyn found out that Mocambo, a popular jet set night club in Hollywood, would not book Ella Fitzgerald as a performer because of segregation.

Marilyn phoned the manager and told him that she would book a front row table every night Ella performed there, knowing that her presence would get a lot of reporters there and a lot of publicity for the club.

Ella Fitzgerald was booked and Marilyn Monroe kept her promise.

Have you seen the documentary? What do you think? Tell me.

Nikki Yanofsky sings Airmail Special and scats like Ella Fitzgerald

Wow! You must see Nikki Yanofsky sing Airmail Special in this video clip.



Nikki Yanofsky is an amazingly talented 13-year-old from Montreal, Canada who is one of the artists that sings on a tribute album called "We All Love Ella - Celebrating the First Lady of Song". The Ella that we love is of course Ella Fitzgerald and Nikki Yanofsky does a fantastic performance when she scats through Airmail Special in the style of Ella Fitzgerald.

Here is also a video clip where Nikki Yanofsky talks about being selected as one of the artists for the Ella Fitgerald tribute album. She has good company on the album: Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Dianne Reeves, Michael Buble and Etta James among others.



I'd love to see what Nikki Yanofsky does next when she finds her own voice in the world of jazz. Go girl!

If you like these video clips, you'll like seeing Nikki sing It Don't Mean A Thing.

How did I find out about her? Through the "Hey Mr Jesse" July 2007 episode. More on that later.

What do you think of the video clip with Nikki Yanofsky singing Airmail Special? Tell me.

Ella Fitzgerald sings Sweet Georgia Brown in Stockholm

Take a look at this great video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing Sweet Georgia Brown in Stockholm 1966. A fantastic up tempo delivery of Sweet Georgia Brown, this is Ella Fitzgerald at her best. This is why she has been called "The first lady of jazz". Enjoy!


Oow! It's hot. So much energy. If that didn't make you move your feet, I don't know what will.

Take a look at other versions of Sweet Georgia Brown that I've blogged about.

What do you think of this video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing Sweet Georgia Brown? Tell me.

Ella Fitzgerald: Lady Be Good & Mack the Knife

In this video clip from 1961 Ella Fitzgerald sings something you don't hear every day: a ballad version of Lady Be Good. In fact all versions I've heard up 'til now has been uptempo. Very nice and sweet, sometimes strings can be too sweet but once in a while it's ok.

Ella Fitzgerald continues with Mack the Knife and picks up the pace. Now it's really swinging! I dig the piano playing (does anyone know who plays?)



What do you think of Ella Fitzgerald singing Lady Be Good and Mack the Knife? Tell me.

Ella Fitzgerald sings Hard Hearted Hannah

Here is a video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing Hard Hearted Hannah from 1955.




Another great version of this song can be found on a cd called "The Great Swing Party", a concert recording made by Ulf Johansson Werre where Hard Hearted Hanna is sung by Hanna Hedlund.

Every fall Ulf Johansson Werre put together a large concert with big band which has a certain theme based on different jazz composers each time: Count Basie, Benny Goodman, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington.

On this particular occasion the theme was just "swing". The cd has a great version of It Don't Mean A Thing. At the concert there were also a lindy hop and tap performance by The Harlem Hot Shots.

What do you think of this video clip with Ella Fitzgerald singing Hard Hearted Hannah? Tell me.

Ella Fitzgerald - It Don't Mean A Thing

I like many styles of music but nothing really compares to swing. Swing to me means infectious joy, music that makes you want to dance.

In this video clip from German television from 1974 with Ella Fitzgerald, she also lists a number of music styles and comes to the conclusion that It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing).



The jazz orchestra has full big band sound that I love. In the middle of "It Don't Mean A Thing" they also play a few bars of "Four brothers" as well as "Moten Swing".

The orchestra has a number of great jazz musicians such as Joe Pass (guitar), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Bobby Durham (drums), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Eddie Lockjaw Davis (tenor saxophone).

What do you think of this video clip with Ella Fitzgerald performing "It Don't Mean A Thing"? Tell me.

10 swing songs for Valentines day

Tomorrow is Valentines day so here is some tips on swing and jazz songs that will put you in to a romantic mood.

1. Lets do it by Billie Holiday
2. Peel me a grape by Diana Krall
3. Love me or leave me by Sammy Davis Jr
4. They cant take away from me by Frank Sinatra
5. L-o-v-e by Natalie Cole
6. Somebody loves me by Bill Elliot Swing Orchestra
7. I love being here with you by Barbara Morrison
8. My Funny Valentine by Chet Baker
9. Deed I do by Ella Fitzgerald
10. As long as I live by Ernestine Anderson

What is your favorite swing song about love? Tell me.

One o'clock jump with Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald

Enjoy this video with Count Basie playing his theme song One o'clock jump together with a scating Ella Fitzgerald. And man, listen to those bass lines by Cleveland Eaton. Mmmm.



What do you think of the video? Tell me.

Hey Mr Jesse at Yehoodi.com

Swing dj Jesse Miner has a podcast with swingin' jazz and blues called 'Hey Mr Jesse' over at http://www.heymisterjesse.com/ (but you'll end up at www.yehoodi.com/mrjesse/).

Yehoodi.com is one of the largest discussion forums for swing dance but they also have a section devoted to swing music.

'Hey Mr Jesse' is a really good show and you will hear some really good jazz. One of the segments in the show is called '8 count swing' where Jesse Miner lists eight of his favorite classic swing songs. One of the songs he features is "Jubilee Swing" by Chick Webb Orchestra on the album Strictly Jive.



"Jubilee Swing" is good but that album has so many other great songs as well like "Who Ya Hunchin'" and of course one of the most infectious swing songs ever: "Lindyhopper's Delight". Yes sir, that is right, it really is a delight to hear that song, if you don't want to run to the dance floor when you hear it then something is wrong (very wrong). The cd is worth buying just for that song alone. Yes, it's that good.

On the album you can hear Ella Fitzgerald who took over the band when Chick Webb passed away. There are blazing fast songs to practise your balboa to: "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" and "Harlem Congo". You have "'Tain't What You Do" for your shim sham and if you like songs with a novelty feel you should check out "Macpherson Is Rehearsin' (To Swing)".

Sweet (?) Georgia Brown - Cabin In The Sky

Yesterday I saw the film Cabin in the sky where Lena Horne plays the character Georgia Brown. Usually you hear about the Sweet Georgia Brown but here she was trying to steal away Joe from his wife. Lena Horne certainly was an 'it' girl.



One really great version of Sweet Georgia Brown is done by Ella Fitzgerald on the album A Perfect Match together with Count Basie and his band.



Ethel Waters who plays the wife in the movie also has recorded some versions of Sweet Georgia Brown.

Duke Ellington and his band is featured in this film in a scene where you also can see several types of dance: (original) jazz dance, some lindy hop and even some shag.

Louis Armstrong also has a very small role in the film.