Details: Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996): The Intimate Ella. Verve, 1990 (1960). Total time: 42:38.
Titling an Ella Fitzgerald album with the word "intimate" is practically redundant as just about everything she recorded was intimate simply because it was her singing.
A master vocalist whose song interpretations and phrasing are legendary, influential and instantly recognizable she makes it all sound as effortless as exhaling or talking. Frank Sinatra credited her for his own well-developed sense of vocal phrasing.
This reissue of a 1960 album is filled with standards for which she set the, well, standard. Songs like "Black Coffee," "My Melancholy Baby," and "One More For My Baby" are truly timeless and should really never go out of style as far as I'm concerned.
Her expert rendition of "Misty" makes me wonder if it wasn't too good so that it led to that old Clint Eastwood movie, Play Misty for Me, in which he plays a radio DJ who is stalked by a crazed female fan who keeps demanding to hear the song.
Technically the CD version of this 1960 album sounds perfect. The clarity of sound is superb and helps create the intimacy. Much of this is due to all of these songs consisting of simply Ella's voice and subtle, thoughtful piano accompaniment by Paul Smith. And really, isn't that all that is needed?
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