When Ella Fitzgerald began recording her series of albums devoted to the work of America’s greatest song writers, she elevated the art of Jazz singing into a new dimension while celebrating a unique musical heritage bequeathed to the world of popular music. Norman Granz encouraged the bold decision to record five albums all featuring the extraordinary output of songs composed by the brothers George and Ira Gershwin during the Golden Age of popular song. Gershwin show tunes had long been a staple diet for bandleaders, pop-vocalists and star-instrumentalists eager to perform such exhilarating material as Strike Up The Band, Oh, Lady Be Good!, S’Wonderful and I Got Rhythm. But there was also a gamut of ballads and romantic dance themes needing to be interpreted with greater sensitivity. Ella was more than capable of focusing on lyrics and caressing melodies of songs like Someone To Watch Over Me, A Foggy Day and Embraceable You. They are among the 53 Gershwin classics she recorded over an eight month period in 1959 and now featured in this superb collection.
