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Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Song Book
''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book'' is a 1964 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, focusing on the songs of Johnny Mercer. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California. This is Fitzgerald's fifth and final collaboration with Riddle during her years on the Verve label. The album is notable as Fitzgerald's only Song Book to concentrate on the work of a lyricist. Riddle's lush arrangements interact most beautifully with Fitzgerald on ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Skylark". Fitzgerald's impeccable swing is most evident on "Something's Gotta Give" and "Too Marvelous for Words". Track listing For the 1964 Verve LP release; Verve V6-4067; Re-issued in 1984 on CD, Verve-PolyGram 823 247-2 Side One: #"Too Marvelous for Words" ( Richard A. Whiting) – 2:31 #"Early Autumn" (Ralph Burns) – 3:51 #" Day In, Day Out" ( Rube Bloom) – 2:49 #" Laura" (from the film '' Laura'') (David Raksin) – 3:43 #"This Time t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. After a tumultuous adolescence, Fitzgerald found stability in musical success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country but most often associated with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. Her rendition of the nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" helped boost both her and Webb to national fame. After taking over the band when Webb died, Fitzgerald left it behind in 1942 to start her solo career. Her manager was Moe Gale, co-founder of the Savoy, until she turned the rest of her career over to Norman Granz, who founded Verve Records to produce new records by Fitzgerald. With Verve she recorded some of her more widely noted works, particularly he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Records, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Rosemary Clooney and Keely Smith. He scored and arranged music for many films and television shows, earning an Academy Award and three Grammy Awards. He found commercial and critical success with a new generation in the 1980s, in a trio of Platinum albums with Linda Ronstadt. Early years Riddle was born in Oradell, New Jersey, the only child to survive to birth, and after, of Marie Albertine Riddle (a native of Mulhouse, France, whose father was Spanish) and Nelson Smock Riddle, who was of English-Irish and Dutch descent. His mother had suffered six miscarriages and one stillbirth in her lifetime. It was his mother's secon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skylark (song)
"Skylark" is an American popular song with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Hoagy Carmichael, published in 1941."Johnny Mercer's Songs on CD", Ralph Mitchell, JohnnyMercer.com, June 2009, webpageJM-ralph Background Carmichael wrote the melody, based on a Bix Beiderbecke cornet improvisation, as "Bix Licks", for a project to turn the novel '' Young Man With a Horn'' into a Broadway musical. After that project failed, Carmichael brought in Johnny Mercer to write lyrics for the song. Mercer said that he struggled for a year after he got the music from Carmichael before he could get the lyrics right. Mercer recalled that Carmichael initially called him several times about the lyrics but had forgotten about the song by the time Mercer finally wrote them. The yearning expressed in the lyrics was based on Mercer's longing for Judy Garland, with whom he had an affair. Several artists recorded charting versions of the song in 1942, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra (vocal by Ray Eb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'' (lyrics by Yip Harburg), including " Over the Rainbow", Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. "Over the Rainbow" was voted the 20th century's No. 1 song by the RIAA and the NEA. Life and career Arlen was born in Buffalo, New York, the child of a Jewish cantor. His twin brother died the next day. He learned to play the piano as a youth, and formed a band as a young man. He achieved some local success as a pianist and singer before moving to New York City in his early twenties, where he worked as an accompanist in vaudeville and changed his name to Harold Arlen. Between 1926 and about 1934, Arlen appeared occasionally as a band vocalist on records by The Buffalodians, Red Nichols, Joe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
This Time The Dream's On Me
"This Time the Dream's on Me" is a song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was written for the 1941 film '' Blues in the Night'' when it was sung by Priscilla Lane. 1941 recordings Hit versions in 1941 were by Glenn Miller (vocal by Ray Eberle) (reached No. 11 in the charts) and by Woody Herman (No. 8). Selected notable recordings *Kenny Burrell – '' Introducing Kenny Burrell'' (1956) *June Christy – ''Something Cool'' (1954) *Ella Fitzgerald – ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook'' (1961), ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook'' (1964) ''Ella Fitzgerald: Best of the Song Books – the Ballads'' (Verve 1994 release) *Harry James – ''Harry James and His New Jazz Band, Vol. 2'' (Mr. Music MMCD 7012, 1956 002 *Steve March-Tormé – ''The Essence of Love'' (2003). *Susannah McCorkle – ''The Songs of Johnny Mercer'' (1981). *Marian McPartland – ''Live at Maybeck Recital Hall Vol.9'' (1997) * Stephanie Nakasian – '' Lulla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Raksin
David Raksin (August 4, 1912 – August 9, 2004) was an American composer who was noted for his work in film and television. With more than 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit, he became known as the "Grandfather of Film Music." Biography David Raksin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to Jewish parents (of Russian heritage). His father was an orchestra conductor. Raksin played professionally in dance bands while attending Central High School of Philadelphia. He went on to study composition with Harl McDonald at the University of Pennsylvania, and later with Isadore Freed in New York and Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles. In New York, Raksin worked as an arranger for Harms/Chappell. One of his earliest film assignments was as assistant to Charlie Chaplin in the composition of the score to '' Modern Times'' (1936). He is perhaps best remembered for his score for the film '' Laura'' (1944). The theme music for the film, " Laura", with the ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura (1944 Film)
''Laura'' is a 1944 American film noir produced and directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb along with Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel '' Laura'' by Vera Caspary. ''Laura'' received five nominations for the Academy Awards, including for Best Director, winning for Best Black and White Cinematography. In 1999, ''Laura'' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The American Film Institute named it one of the 10 best mystery films of all time, and it also appears on Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" series. Plot New York City Police Department detective Mark McPherson is investigating the murder of a young, beautiful, highly successful advertising executive, Laura Hunt, killed by a shotgun blast to the face just ins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura (1945 Song)
"Laura" is a 1945 popular song. The music, composed by David Raksin for the 1944 movie '' Laura,'' which starred Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, is heard frequently in the movie. The film's director, Otto Preminger, had originally wanted to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" as the theme, but Raksin was not convinced that it was suitable. Angered, Preminger gave Raksin one weekend to compose an alternative melody. Raksin later said, and maintained for the rest of his days, that when, over that weekend, his wife sent him a "Dear John" letter, the haunting theme seemed to write itself. The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer after the film made the tune popular, so he had to title the song "Laura". According to Mercer, he had not yet seen the movie when he wrote the lyrics but was aware that it was a romantic, somewhat haunting story. :''Laura is the face in the misty light, footsteps that you hear down the hall'' :''The laugh that floats on the summer night that you can never ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rube Bloom
Reuben Bloom (April 24, 1902 – March 30, 1976) was an American songwriter, pianist, arranger, band leader, recording artist, vocalist, and author. Life and career Bloom was born and died in New York City. He was Jewish. During his career, he worked with many well-known performers, including Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Ruth Etting, Stan Kenton, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. He collaborated with a wide number of lyricists, including Johnny Mercer, Ted Koehler, and Mitchell Parish. During the 1920s he wrote many novelty piano solos, which are still well regarded today. He recorded for the Aeolian Company's Duo-Art reproducing piano system various titles including his "Spring Fever". His first hit came in 1927 with "Soliloquy"; his last was "Here's to My Lady" in 1952, which he wrote with Johnny Mercer. In 1928, he made a number of records with Joe Venuti's Blue Four for OKeh, including five songs he sang, as well as played piano. Bloom formed and led a number of bands during his career ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Day In, Day Out (1939 Song)
"Day In, Day Out" is a popular song with music by Rube Bloom and lyrics by Johnny Mercer and published in 1939. Background According to Alec Wilder the song, 56 measures long, has a wonderful, soaring melodic line, free from pretentiousness, but full of passion and intensity which is superbly supported by the lyrics. Although the catch phrase "day in—day out" sounds like a dull routine, Mercer uses exotic images to contrast with the boring sound of the phrase. Recordings The song has been recorded by numerous artists. *Helen Forrest with Artie Shaw and his Orchestra – ''Bluebird Records 78 rpm single'' (1939) * Helen Ward with Bob Crosby and his Orchestra (1939) – a #1 hit on the Billboard charts *Horace Silver – ''Horace Silver Trio'' (1953) *Frank Sinatra – '' The Point of No Return'' (Expanded Edition 2002 – Song recorded April 4, 1953), '' Come Dance with Me!'' (1959), ''Nice 'n' Easy'' (1960), '' Sinatra & Sextet: Live in Paris'' (1994) * Stan Levey Sextet with D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Burns
Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he attended the New England Conservatory of Music. He admitted that he learned the most about jazz by transcribing the works of Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. While a student, Burns lived in the home of Frances Wayne. Wayne was an established big band singer and her brother Nick Jerret was a bandleader who began working with Burns. He found himself in the company of such performers as Nat King Cole and Art Tatum. Career After Burns moved to New York in the early 1940s, he met Charlie Barnet and the two men began working together. In 1944, he joined the Woody Herman band with members Neal Hefti, Bill Harris, Flip Phillips, Chubby Jackson and Dave Tough. Together, the group developed Herman's sound. For 15 years, Burns wrote or ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Early Autumn (song)
"Early Autumn" (1949) is a song composed by Ralph Burns and Woody Herman with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song grew out of the fourth segment of Burns' “Summer Sequence” concert piece and was originally recorded by the Herman band on December 27, 1947 with an outstanding eight-bar solo by saxophonist Stan Getz. Herman asked Johnny Mercer to write lyrics in 1952 and he re-recorded the song taking the vocal duties himself. Charted versions were by Woody Herman and by Jo Stafford, both in 1952. Notable recordings *Woody Herman - an instrumental version (1949). *Woody Herman - a single release in 1952 for the Mars label (catalog No. 300). *Ted Heath and His Music, vocal by Lita Roza (1952). *Jo Stafford - a single release in 1952. *Ella Fitzgerald – a single release for Decca Records (catalog No. 29810) in 1956 (recorded in 1952) *Ella Fitzgerald – new version for her album ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook'' (1964) *Johnny Mathis – '' Wonderful, Wonderfu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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