This concert performance finds
Ella Fitzgerald celebrating her 40th birthday. A top singer for 23 years at that point, she was at the peak of her powers. Backed by her regular rhythm section (with pianist
Lou Levy, bassist
Max Bennett, and drummer
Gus Johnson), she puts on her usual show of the period, uplifting the ballads and swinging the faster material. Highlights include "St. Louis Blues," "Caravan," "It's All Right with Me," and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," during which she imitates both
Louis Armstrong and
Rose Murphy. This set concludes with a jam version of "Stompin' at the Savoy" with
the Oscar Peterson Trio and drummer
Gus Johnson. ~ Scott Yanow