As we continue with "Jingle Bells," we run into Ella Fitzgerald!
We recently heard her singing with bandleader Chick Webb, with whom she had made her reputation. After Webb's death in 1939, Ella took over the band for a few years before launching her brilliant solo career.
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| I never really "got" this artwork! |
As with most singers of the day, Ella recorded a Christmas album, the terrific "Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas" on Verve Records in 1960.
From that album is this single, featuring "Jingle Bells":
She definitely delivers on her promise of a swinging Christmas! Solid accompaniment from arranger/conductor Frank De Vol!
The flipside of that single features the Count Basie number "Good Morning Blues":
I think that's an intriguing choice!
I always thought it was interesting that the title of the song "Good Morning Blues" does not indicate in any way that it's Christmas-related.
Ella starts the song with the Christmas verse to make it more of a Christmas song, which is not how Count Basie recorded it. And the sheet music for Ella's version throws Santa in the subtitle!
Here's Basie's original, on Decca Records from 1937, featuring the great Jimmy Rushing with the vocal:
That's an awesome record, but you wouldn't know it's Christmas-related until almost the end!
The label of this later reissue shows the band members:
Wow, that is a tremendous lineup!
Count Basie later had another great blues singer in the person of Joe Williams and they cut a great version of "Good Mornin' Blues" (losing a G along the way) for Roulette Records in 1959:
So, some awesome recordings of that song!
Back to Ella, her 1960 album is a must, but she also had recorded a Christmas single for Verve Records in 1959 with a more mellow backing from Russ Garcia.
The A-side is "The Secret of Christmas," which was introduced by Bing Crosby in the then-current movie "Say One for Me":
Very lovely!
The flip side is "The Christmas Song" in a totally different arrangement from that on the album:
Ella never disappoints!
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