Previously unreleased recording of Ella Fitzgerald. Limited to 900 hand-numbered copies.
Double Album
February 10, 1961. The legendary Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. After a memorable performance in Berlin a year earlier, Fitzgerald was once again singing to a packed concert hall. Norman Granz, serious and to the point, introduced the musicians. Lou Levy had long been accompanying Ella. The quartet took the stage with the singer herself. In her fresh, almost girlish voice and that hint of characteristic impertinence, she launched into “Too Close For Comfort”, followed by “On A Slow Boat To China”. By now Ella had the audience firmly in the palm of her hand.
The performance was quite the opposite of what took place in a recording studio. Fitzgerald settled in as if she were in her living room, welcoming each spectator like a privileged guest and each song she sang, a gracefully proffered glass of champagne. The pieces had to be kept short because she had to see that all the members of the public were served.
Ranging from the melancholy of “Heart And Soul” to her teasing in the midst of “Lorelei”, when she announced that she was about to strip, overall she was witty, dynamic and rousing. There would never be a dull moment with Ella. As Bing Crosby so aptly said, “Man, woman, or child, Ella is the greatest of them all.”
Track List:
01 Introduction
02 Won't You Please Let Me In
03 Too Close For Comfort
04 On a Slow Boat to China
05 How Long Has This Been Going On
06 Heart and Soul
07 You're Driving Me Crazy
08 That Old Black Magic
09 Lover Come Back to Me
10 My Funny Valentine
11 I've Got a Crush on You
12 Lorelei
13 Mr Paganini
14 Mack the Knife
15 Saint Louis Blues
Lacquer
The ultimate analog medium. A fascinating phenomenon only now mastered by a handful of skilled engravers, lacquer demonstrates exceptional physical properties, making it possible to capture even the most intricate nuance and texture of a recording. Cut from a single sheet of aluminium coated in nitrocellulose, lacquer is extremely fragile, and wears off as the recording is listened to.
A sublime and fleeting experience, to be savoured like a fine vintage or live concert.
Once in a lifetime. Few people have the privilege of experiencing this unique medium. The casing for these limited edition lacquers was entrusted to Philippe Atienza and Pierre Gerber, both Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. An exquisite piece of craftsmanship.
Case Contents:-
•A leather case containing 4 lacquers
•Story of the concert and The Lost Recordings
•Lacquer user guide
•Vinyl album + download card for access to digital files
•Hi-Res 24 bits Studio Masters 176.4 kHz available upon request