Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

• 180-GRAM VIRGIN VINYL

• INCLUDES 1 BONUS TRACK

• 5 STARS DOWN BEAT

This was the first of the three LPs Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong made for jazz producer Norman Granz between 1956 and 1957 (the other two were the sequel Ella & Louis Again and a selection of tunes from George Gershwin’s folk opera Porgy & Bess).

While the latter utilized a big orchestra conducted by Russell Garcia, the first two albums were made in a small group format. And what an incredible small group! The Oscar Peterson Trio, featuring Herb Ellis and Ray Brown (who had been Ella’s husband) received the addition of drummers Buddy Rich (on the first album) and Louie Bellson (on the second). The results: some of the most fascinating jazz music ever produced

PERSONNEL:

• ELLA FITZGERALD - (vocals)
• LOUIS ARMSTRONG - (trumpet & vocals)
• OSCAR PETERSON - (piano)
• HERB ELLIS - (guitar)
• RAY BROWN - (bass)
• BUDDY RICH - (drums)

Hollywood, August 16, 1956.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1 CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS
• A2 ISN’T THIS A LOVELY DAY?
• A3 MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT
• A4 THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME
• A5 UNDER A BLANKET OF BLUE
• A6 TENDERLY

• SIDE B
• B1 A FOGGY DAY
• B2 STARS FELL ON ALABAMA
• B3 CHEEK TO CHEEK
• B4 THE NEARNESS OF YOU
• B5 APRIL IN PARIS