The Ella Fitzgerald Collection Vol. 2 1936-55

Along with Billie Holiday and other contemporaries like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald was one of the great singers to emerge from the golden age of jazz singing as a premier exponent of an art form which often crossed over into the popular music world, although this crossover very rarely compromised the artistic integrity with which we associate them. This collection covers the first two decades the first decade of Ellas recording career, including material from the earlier era which were not included in Vol. 1, but primarily focusing on the final decade of her Decca career before moving to Norman Granzs Verve label in 1955. It includes tracks she recorded with Chick Webb and His Orchestra, and recordings when she took over with Ella Fitzgeralds Famous Orchestra after Chick Webb died,plus collaborations with The Inkspots, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Illinois Jacquet, Sy Oliver and many others, plus several atmospheric tracks just with Ellis Larkins on piano. It shows her development from talented but inexperienced band singer to versatile star adept at delivering a range of material with maturity and subtlety. It is a fascinating and always entertaining musical journey. Comprising 100 tracks on a 4-CD collection, this is a comprehensive and coherent overview of an important phase in the career of one of the great jazz vocalists.