Despite her name on the cover and her photos in the credits,
Ella Fitzgerald's shadow doesn't loom over this tribute album, which is a good thing. A succession of female vocalists (plus
Michael Bublé and
Stevie Wonder) pay tribute to
Fitzgerald with their own interpretations of her best-known standards. Despite the fact that few of the singers originated with jazz vocals (most started in R&B), they're usually able to nod to
Fitzgerald's greatness but also impart a degree of wisdom themselves. Virtually all of them appear in front of the same band, and the consistency helps the collection from being too scattered. From
Natalie Cole's delighted "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" to young
Nikki Yanofsky's scatting "Airmail Special," the vocalists each find something interesting to say. Highest points go to
Dianne Reeves, whose "Oh, Lady Be Good" has the same sublime power as
Fitzgerald's, and
Queen Latifah, who finds the proper amount of sass to inject into "The Lady Is a Tramp." [Verve's 2007 edition adds the bonus track "Cotton Tail," performed by
Dee Dee Bridgewater.] ~ John Bush