Ella Fitzgerald Centenary Celebration Releases

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

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  1. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Yes, it has been remarked about earlier in the thread.
     
  2. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
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  3. Mr. H

    Mr. H Forum Resident

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  4. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    I found a mono set of this recently in good shape for $14. No box or book unfortunately though but good price for the music.
     
  5. Botched because it sold out on the US site or because it was only just announced in the U.K. ?
     
  6. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    I know this'll open a can of worms. I'm just looking for the concensus pick on best mono pressings of the material contained in the Gershwin songbook set.

    The release history for that album is somewhat confusing to me. Released in individual volumes, in the box set, and some of the readily available individual volumes from, say, 1959, don't have the same track listing or cover art.

    I picked up Volumes 2 & 3 at my local record store the other day. They're mono copies with gatefold covers and the original track listing. Now, were these gatefold covers ( with the Buffet cover art that initially appeared as lithographs on the box set), available on the market in 1959 or are these from the 1961 reissue?
     
  7. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    Also, any thoughts on the 1964 mono box reissue? It's been noted on here that some later pressings of Ella albums pre-MGM merger are better than the initial releases,
     
  8. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    I'll let you know when my set arrives...expected on Friday.
     
  9. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

  10. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    Duly noted. I've had remarkably good luck with these late '70's reissues series from Verve, actually. The Ellington reissue from that period, which was split into two volumes, sounds excellent to my ears.
     
  11. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    It's confusing, yes. The individual releases have a different track order . I don't get it.
    Also, anyone know if the original box was a 5 or 6 LP set? My mono set is 5.
     
  12. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    It was a five disc set, with a 6th disc dedicated to recordings of Gershwin instrumentals, arranged by Nelson Riddle. So, for instance, that EP had orchestral adaptations of the Piano Preludes and lesser known Gershwin instrumentals like Promenade, Fidgety Feet.
     
  13. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    So it was 5 LPs and an EP?
     
  14. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    Yep.
     
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  15. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    So far as I can understand, the box was issued in 1959 (Stereo and/or mono) with the EP and the five discs along with the book and the five Buffet lithographs. At the same time, it seems as if each album were released individually with jackets that used the Buffet paintings on the cover. There are other configurations of this album that circulated around that time with different cover art and track listing, mainly showing Ella behind the New York skyline.

    The individual volumes of the albums (in mono or stereo) with the Buffet covers seem to have been re-released in 1961.

    It looks as though the mono and stereo boxes got reissues in 1964 sans box or EP or lithographs.

    That's my understanding of the history of these releases as of this time
     
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  16. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Same experience here. When I see one and the music interests me, I grab it if it's in good shape. Some (many? all?) were cut by Bob Ludwig. :righton:
     
  17. DABarrios

    DABarrios Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, New York
    Good to know! There's one dedicated to mid '60's Verve recordings by Wes Montgomery that includes the entirety of the Smokin' at the Half Note Sessions that I can't praise enough.
     
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  18. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    All the ones I've heard sound really good and mastered by Ludwig. I believe the whole painted cover series at that time were RL. At least every one I've seen.
     
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  19. Both! Clearly they haven't pressed enough copies to accommodate demand for a "promoted" centenary celebration and the late, apparent non-US distribution is both misrepresentation and completely erratic.
     
  20. Matt, have you any experience with Mono UK HMV label issues of this? I've seen a few of the individual releases ("Volume 1, 2" etc) floating around but I have no idea if these are just fold-downs or the real McCoy.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2017
  21. My copy has now shipped! (uDiscover ignored 5 messages requesting cancellation of order) :shrug:
     
  22. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
  23. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Like this one?
    Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings Gershwin Volume Five
    That shouldn't be a fold-down (nor should any mono releases of this album), but I'd be surprised if it were anything spectacular in terms of sonics -- but I'll say that I've not heard it, so may be wrong.
     
  24. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Many thanks, Bob. It's Ella ALL WEEK for me!
     
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  25. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Ella was fantastic.

    And Norman Granz made sure we all heard so much of it. That man is responsible for putting out so much great music. He had a real eye for talent and worked to get it recorded when others wouldn't.
     
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