Ella Fitzgerald Centenary Celebration Releases

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Kevin55, Mar 13, 2017.

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  1. Kevin55

    Kevin55 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald's Centenary

    On 21 April, 100 of her most popular songs will be released as a new 4CD box set titled 100 Songs For A Centennial. The collection, which will also be available digitally, spans Fitzgerald’s Decca and Verve years, beginning with her earliest recordings with Chick Webb and his orchestra in 1936 through her career defining Song book series and beyond.

    [​IMG]

    Also on 21 April, Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Song Books, a collaboration with Nelson Riddle, will be released as a limited edition 6LP vinyl box set. A replica of the rare 5LP set originally released in 1959, the Ella 100 edition recreates for the first time since its initial release the original stereo box set on vinyl, the originally included five lithographs by French impressionist painter Bernard Buffet, as well as the hardcover book, Words And Music, which for this set has been updated with additional historical information and an afterword by noted author David Ritz. The 2017 collection was newly at Capitol Studios in Hollywood where the album was originally recorded.[​IMG] A sixth LP enlarges the original 10-inch instrumental EP with orchestra tracks on Side One and additional material from the sessions on Side Two.
     
  2. Kevin55

    Kevin55 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    he box set is available exclusively at UDiscover
     
  3. Kevin55

    Kevin55 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Later in 2017, all of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong’s beloved duets, combining for the first time their Decca singles with their 3 Verve albums and bonus tracks, will be released as a 4CD/digital set titled Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Ella & Louis Duets. Verve will also release a new album featuring Fitzgerald’s classic vocal recordings accompanied by new orchestral arrangements by the London Symphony Orchestra.

    In February the eight classic albums that make up the Ella Fitzgerald Song Books were made available in a variety of high-resolution audio formats.

    Ella’s 300 single sides that she recorded for Decca from 1935-1955, will be made available digitally in the form they were released (A side/B side) for the first time on 24 March. Vol. 1, 1935-1939 includes songs teenaged Ella recorded as the featured singer fronting the world-renowned Chick Webb Orchestra while Vol. 2, 1939-1941 features 50 tracks credited to Ella and Her Famous Orchestra, following Webb’s untimely death at age 30. Vol. 3 1942-1949 covers the 1940s, when Fitzgerald formally became a Decca solo artist and Vol. 4 1950-1955 chronicles the first half of the 1950s
     
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  4. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Looks like nicely done Gershwin Songbook set, although I would have opted for the mono version, not because I'm a mono-or-die guy (I'm not), but the because the stereo mix is problematic in spots compared to the mono. (I like the stereo okay, but the mono on this title "sings.")
     
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  5. Is the uDiscover exclusive release only available in the US? The UK site hasn't currently got anything about Ella on there at all.
     
  6. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
  7. Stop it, Bob, you're hurting my wallet! Will this be available through other global uDiscover outlets? It doesn't look like it. :cry:
     
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  8. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Nice ad.

    Available exclusively at one site? That will surely limit sales.
     
    SteveM likes this.
  9. Of course it will but the whole handling of this is rather puzzling to me. Here we have a major label celebrating (or for the more cynically inclined, cashing-in on) one of the most important, influential and respected singers of the Twentieth Century by openly publicising the re-release of this important album as part of its Centenary celebration but then effectively ensuring that only a few people can join in with this by a) making it a US website retail exclusive and b) limited edition!
     
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  10. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Not sure what they are charging for this release, but if you can get the Kevin Gray remastered set on ebay I recommend it. I see one now listed for $150 but only ships to US unfortunately. Maybe more will come up.
     
  11. LeeP

    LeeP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland
    Do you know whether the Kevin Gray remastered set is in mono or stereo?
     
  12. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    It's stereo. I actually thought it sounded mono for a while (even though the box states otherwise) but recently realized it is stereo. No hard panning of vocals at all. This set sounds fantastic - the ebay listing is a steal at $150. I believe I paid $155 for a new one when it came out.

    My best sounding Ella vinyl, and I have many.
     
  13. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    about time for some Japanese Mini sleeves
     
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  14. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    I am sucker enough to buy this beautiful set. Thanks Bob for the great video whetting my appetite even more!!!!
     
  15. You can't order it from this site because you are in Europe? Did you try?
     
  16. Yes I can order it from uDiscover US site but it's rather pricey to say the least with $75 shipping and taxes on top! Their price is $150. It'd end up close on £230 by the time I get my paws on it. I could get a sealed SC (Kevin Gray) for that price in Europe.....almost!
     
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  17. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    I'd be surprised if it's not also to be offered by a UMe UK site. That's what happened with the recent Sinatra/Jobim blue vinyl "exclusive." The US announcement is just a few days old. Patience may be called for...
     
    SteveM likes this.
  18. I have purposefully contacted the UK site about this but they have no information or knowledge about this particular product at the moment beyond what we can all view on the US site. They couldn't confirm if they would be offering it.
     
  19. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana

    I will never understand these posts. Your problem isn't with a Record Label.
     
  20. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    We live in a global society, and Universal Music sells product worldwide. It seems perfectly natural to me that SHF members outside the USA would want to seek more affordable buying options in other countries. (IMO)
     
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  21. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Maybe you can explain your post.
     
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  22. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    Yes. Though I agree, it not being in Mono is slowing me down from placing a pre0order.
     
  23. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Kind of defeats the purpose of this particular limited edition physical box set. A digital download may not do justice to the highly touted new vinyl remastering.
     
  24. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Absolutely true.
     
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  25. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I respect Matt's comment on the mono above. As stated before, I have the Speakers Corner Kevin Gray remastered box set in stereo which sounds fantastic. I also have a 1959 (according to Discogs) titled "EF Sings the Gershwin Songbook Vol. 1" which is one LP only (MGV-4013) in mono. The Kevin Gray puts it to shame to me. YMMV of course. Maybe my pressing is the last for the stamper or something!

    So perhaps this upcoming release will sound great in stereo just like the Kevin Gray. Do we know who remastered it and where it will be pressed?
     
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