Welcome to the new home of the Mike's Noise Virtual Victrola.
Over the next few months I will be finishing up this site and importing all the music from my old Virtual Victrola blog category.
After you have browsed the posts here, head over to my old Virtual Victrola for dozens of great articles and nearly 100 Mp3 files of vintage jazz and pop music.
NOTE: Due to a sudden uptick in comment spam, I have been forced to turn on comment moderation. Comments will be posted after they have been screened and approved. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Annette Hanshaw was one of the most popular female singers of the late 1920's and early 1930's. Her records have endured among collectors and fans for over eighty years. She was a cheerful interpreter of catchy pop tunes who could also sing heartbreaking ballads. Her charm, classy demeanor, good looks, and abundant talent earned her the title of "The Twenties Sweetheart."
Hanshaw was born in 1901 to a middle-class New York family. Her father managed a string of guest houses and small hotels, and often hosted parties for his guests and other notable business clientele. It was at one of these parties that a music executive, Herman Rose of Pathe Records, heard young Annette sing and play piano. Although largely self-taught, the 25 year old was a graceful and polished performer, and Rose wasted no time auditioning her for a recording contract.
She was noticeably nervous during her audition, but the executives at Pathe liked what they heard and signed her as an exclusive artist. Hanshaw's first commercial recording was made on Sept. 12 1926. Red Nichols (cornet), Miff Mole (trombone), Jimmy Lytelle (clarinet), and Irving Brodsky (banjo) accompanied her as she sang "Six Feet of Papa."
Because of her "jazzy" singing style, Hanshaw was often accompanied by top jazz musicians when she recorded. Here are two great recordings featuring some of the New York jazz scene's best musicians -- "Who's That Knocking At My Door" (1927) featuring Adrian Rollini (bass sax and 'goofus'), Joe Venuti (violin), Eddie Lang (guitar) and Chauncey Morehouse (drums), and "Lovable and Sweet" (1929) featuring the Dorsey Brothers, Mannie Klein (trumpet), and Artie Schutt (piano).
Annette Hanshaw was also a superior interpreter of torch songs. The sweetness in her voice imparted a wistful, innocent charm that made her ballad singing very convincing. Her December 1929 recording of one of that year's biggest songs, "If I Had A Talking Picture Of You," is a perfect example. She is accompanied by Mannie Klein on trumpet, and James P. Johnson and Clarence Williams, both on piano.
Annette Hanshaw could also perform a variety of convincing voice characterizations. One of the performers that she could flawlessly imitate was "The Boop-a-Doop Girl" Helen Kane. After Kane's 1928 recording of "I Wanna Be Loved By You" shot up the charts, Columbia Records released a competing version of the same song, sung by Annette Hanshaw but credited to "Dot Dare" and released on Columbia's budget label Diva. After Hanshaw's first "Dot Dare" records were released, angry Victor Records executives demanded to know why Helen Kane had been making records for another company! After being convinced that Dot Dare was not Helen Kane, they were left with the task of discovering who this amazing imitation celebrity really was. Later it was reported that upon first hearing the Dot Dare records, Helen Kane remarked, "Annette sounds more like me than I do!"
(Annette pictured with Pee Wee Hunt and Kenny Sargent, vocalists with the Casa Loma Orchestra, from the Camel Caravan radio program, 1934) Despite her overwhelming popularity with radio and record-buying audiences, Hanshaw eventuall tired of the grind of show business. The downturn in record sales in the early 1930's forced her to concentrate on radio, and even though she remained a popular attraction on variety and music programs (even earning the coveted "girl vocalist" slot on the popular Camel Caravan broadcast, headlined by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra), by the end of 1937 she was no longer performing on network radio. Her last commercial recordings were made in 1934. Hanshaw had married Herman Rose, the music executive who first discovered her, some years earlier and lived comfortably in retirement, only performing occasionally for family and close friends. She died in 1985.
Here is Annette Hanshaw's only appearance on film, from the short film Captain Henry's Showboat, a film adaptation of the popular Maxwell House Showboat radio program, from 1933:
My fourth grade teacher, Shirley O'Brian, was an accomplished pianist and singer in addition to being a fantastic elementary school teacher. She had a piano in our classroom, and on Fridays she would teach us silly songs like "Weenie Man" and "Wattaly Atcha". Perhaps you learned this song at summer camp or a scouting retreat.
Wada Lee Atcha wada lee atcha, wada lee atcha doodly doo, doodly doo Wada lee atcha, wada lee atcha doodly doo, doodly doo, Simplest thing, there isn’t much to it, All you’ve got to do is doodly doo, it I like the rest, but the part I like best Is the doodly, doodly doo doo
There were pattycake-style hand motions that went along with the song as well. As you repeated the song, you sang it faster and faster, until no one could keep up with the motions and everyone burst out laughing.
It turns out that this song has a bit of history. "Wattaly Atcha" is based on a popular song from 1924 entitled "Doodle Doo Doo." The song was written by two famous music personalities, Art Kassel and Mel Stitzel. The chorus of the original song went something like this:
Please play for me that sweet melody Called Doodle Doo-Doo, Doodle Doo-Doo I like the rest, but what I like best is Doodle Doo-Doo, Doodle Doo-Doo Simplest thing, there's nothing much to it Don't have to sing, just Doodle Doo-Doo it I love it so, wherever I go, I Doodle Doo-Doo-Dee-Doo-Doo
Here's a nice vintage 1924 recording of Doodle Doo Doo, performed by D. Onivas and Orchestra (?), released on Perfect 14272, with a vocal chorus by Ernest Hare:
Recognize the tune?
If you know the story of how this old novelty tune became a favorite campfire song for kids, feel free to leave a comment.
(Thanks to my friend Jennifer at GenX Blog for inspiring this post)
One of the hottest white dance bands of the late 1920's was the great Coon-Sanders Nighthawk Orchestra. The Nighthawks originally hailed from Kansas City, but successfully relocated to Chicago, where they became a mainstay at the Blackhawk Hotel.
One of the best examples of the excitement generated by the Coon-Sanders Orchestra is their June 1928 recording of "Blazin'," an original instrumental by Joe Sanders. Sanders, who was the band's pianist, drives the ensemble through this romping tune, aided by trumpeter Bob Pope, clarinetist Floyd Estep, and brothers Harold Thiel and John Thiel who both solo on alto sax.
Not quite a year later, in May 1929, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra recorded their version of "Blazin'," using a modified arrangement by altoist Benny Carter. At the time, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra was perhaps the top jazz and hot dance orchestra in America, and boasted unmatched talent in instrumental soloists as well as arrangers. This outstanding record features Bobby Stark on trumpet, Rex Stewart on cornet, Jimmy Harrison on trombone, Harvey Boone on alto sax, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax.
Today, July 4, is the traditional American celebration of Independence.
On this day in 1776, The Declaration of Independence -- which formally spelled out the grievances of the American colonists against England, and formally declared the intention of the American colonists to sever their ties to England and form a new nation -- was signed in Philadelphia. It was the beginning of the American Revolution.
American songwriters and entertainers have long celebrated this historic occasion with patriotic songs that boast of America's love of freedom and liberty. Here are several early recordings of patriotic material:
Billy Murray was perhaps the greatest singer of the acoustic recording era, and his career spanned from the turn of the twentieth century well into the 1940's. Murray's clear annunciation and strong (if not strident) tenor voice recorded very well. He appeared on literally thousands of records and recorded for every major record label.
Murray had several hit recordings of patriotic songs in the early days of his career. Here are two of them, both are classic recordings of well known George M. Cohan songs. You'll notice that Cohan's You're a Grand Old Flag was originally entitled You're a Grand Old Rag.
George M. Cohan is remembered today as one of America's greatest popular song writers. His more than 300 published songs include some of our most cherished patriotic songs. Although he didn't really have a "recording" voice, due to his immense popularity he made a handful of recordings for Victor records. Here is Cohan's own recording of his 1911 hit song, I Want To Hear A Yankee Doodle Tune.
Another early popular recording artist was Harry E. Humphrey, who was renowned for his recitations of famous dramatic speeches. Humphrey recorded Patrick Henry's famous "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" speech many times; this version is taken from an Edison cylinder record made in 1910.
Finally, here is a recording by pioneer comedic storyteller Cal Stewart. Stewart made hundreds of recordings during the first two decades of the twentieth century as the crusty, guffawing Yankee, Uncle Josh Weathersby. Uncle Josh's stories were set in the fictional New England farming hamlet of Punkin Center and usually involved the misadventures of local characters including Ezry Hoskins, Jim Lawson, and Deacon Witherspoon.
Episode #7 of Futuristic Rhythm explores the early career of clarinetist and Big Band leader Artie Shaw (1910 - 2004). May 2010 is Shaw's centenary; he was born on May 23, 1910. The show begins with several examples of Shaw as a sideman with various groups in the early to mid 1930's then focuses on his first two big bands -- Artie Shaw and his Orchestra, featuring a string quartet, and Art Shaw and his New Music, which was a traditional swing orchestra with 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, 4 saxophones, and a rhythm section. The show concludes with Artie Shaw's first million-selling hit, Begin The Beguine, recorded in July 1938. Forthcoming episodes will explore Shaw's 1939 - 1944 bands, his post-war band leading efforts, and his Grammercy Five small group.
Roger Wolfe Kahn, v/ The Kahn-A-Sirs - Fit As A Fiddle (1932)
Bunny Berigan and his Men - I Can't Get Started (1936) Chick Bullock and his Levee Loungers - With Plenty of Money and You (1936) Bill Challis Orch., v/ Bea and the Bachelors - Mimi (1936)
Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Sugar Foot Stomp (1936) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Copenhagen (1936) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Cream Puff (1936) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - My Blue Heaven (1936)
Art Shaw and his New Music - The Chant (1937) Art Shaw and his New Music - Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum (1937) Art Shaw and his New Music - The Blues (parts A & B) (1937) Art Shaw and his New Music - Free Wheeling (1937)
Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Non Stop Flight (1938) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Back Bay Shuffle (1938) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Comin' On (1938) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Nightmare (1938) Artie Shaw and his Orchestra - Begin The Beguine (1938)
Riley-Farley Onyx Club Orchestra - "Jingle Bells" Hal Kemp and his Orchestra - "Siberian Sleigh Ride" Woody Herman and his Orchestra v/ Woody Herman - "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"
Spike Jones and his City Slickers v/ Linda Strangis with the St. Mary Magdalene's Children's Choir - "Where Did My Snowman Go?" The Crew Cuts - "Dance Mr. Snowman, Dance" Gene Autry - "Frosty The Snowman"
Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys v/ Jack Lloyd - "Santa's On His Way" Jerry Colonna - "He's Too Fat For The Chimney" Barry Gordon with Art Mooney's Orchestra - "Santa Claus Looks Just Like Daddy"
Eddie Arnold - "C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S" Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians v/ Kenny Gardner - The Merry Christmas Waltz Bing, Gary, Phillip, Dennis, and Lindsay Crosby - "A Crosby Christmas" (Parts 1 & 2)
Yogi Yorgesson (Harry Stewart) - "I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas" Spike Jones and his City Slickers - "Happy New Year" Tommy Tucker Time v/ Kerwin Somerville and the Three Two Timers - "Auld Lang Syne" Swing and Sway With Sammy Kaye - "I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas"
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AND ...
Good News - I will soon be offering all of my Virtual Victrola / Futuristic Rhythm audio programs on CD, including the 2007 Christmas Show and the 2009 Christmas Show.
I am offering these programs on custom-made CD-R format, playable in any standard CD or DVD player. Each episode comes with program notes and a complete playlist.
Of course the CD's are full quality 16 bit/44.1 kHz digital audio, as opposed to the mp3 versions of the shows that are available for download.
Check back for details after the beginning of the year.
Accompanied by Marlene Dietrich's English vocal of "Blonde Women" (actually merely a vocal refrain to a wonderful hot dance performance) and another unknown period piece.
Fun stuff, and a nostalgic (perhaps bittersweet) look back at one of Europe's most beautiful cities before it was spiritually ravaged by National Socialism and physically ravaged by World War Two.
Without question, the undisputed jazz king of the tenor saxophone during the 1930's was Coleman Hawkins. Although others (namely Chu Berry, Ben Webster, and Lester Young) would eventually rise to challenge his throne, Hawkins was the single most influential tenor saxophone player for over a decade, from the mid-1920's through the mid-1930's.
Hawkins rose to prominence during his eleven-year stint with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. Hawkins joined the Henderson Orchestra in 1923 but made no memorable contributions until after Louis Armstrong joined a year later. Hawkins quickly learned jazz phrasing and improvisation ideas from Armstrong, and soon became the Henderson band's top soloist after Armstrong left. Hawkins quickly developed a forceful and easily identifiable style as a jazz soloist, and remained the star of the Henderson Orchestra until he quit in 1934.
Hawkins turned in his notice to Henderson after accepting an offer to play with the Jack Hylton Orchestra in London, England. Although jazz buffs today fondly remember the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra as one of the greatest bands of all time, during its day the Henderson band was neither a great musical or financial success. Hawkins realized that in order to further his career, he needed to join an outfit that could provide much greater financial and social opportunities. He was also eager to travel to Europe, where black American jazz musicians were treated with accolades and great respect.
A number of other American musicians, including trumpeter Bill Coleman, altoist and trumpeter Benny Carter, pianist Garnet Clark, trombonist Dickie Wells, and violinist Eddie South, also traveled to Europe during the 1930's in order to seek their fortunes in front of larger and much more accommodating audiences. Many of these musicians recorded in combination with some of Europe's up-and-coming jazz talent in Paris, when time permitted.
On April 28, 1937, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter organized a recording session for the French "Swing" label (affiliated with His Master's Voice in Britain and RCA Victor in America) that produced four legendary sides. The band at the session included Hawkins and Carter, with Carter arranging, as well as two of Europe's best reed players, alto saxophonist Andre Ekyan and Alix Combelle, who played both tenor sax and clairnet. Stephane Grappelly and Django Reinhardt played piano and guitar respectively, the bassist was Eugene d'Hellemmes, and the drummer was another American, Tommy Benford. The sides were released under the name "Coleman Hawkins and his All Star Jam Band."
The tunes chosen by Carter and Hawkins were all well-known standards: "Crazy Rhythm," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Out Of Nowhere," and "Sweet Georgia Brown." The saxophones dominate the first two tunes, while "Out Of Nowhere" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" both feature the fine trumpet playing of Benny Carter, who excelled both as a reed and brass player. Carter's high-voltage Armstrong-inspired trumpet playing drives "Sweet Georgia Brown," and his wonderful, swinging arrangements make all of these tunes immensely memorable. So sit back and enjoy one of the finest jazz sessions from the Swing Era:
Our final "Swingin' At Decca" entry highlights the orchestra of Jan Savitt, one of the better big bands to come out of Philadelphia in the 1930's.
Of all the leaders who achieved success for themselves during the Big
Band Era, there were probably only a handful of men with as unlikely a
background as Jan Savitt. Savitt was born Jacob Servetnick in St.
Petersburg, Russia in 1908. His parents immigrated to America and
settled in Philadelphia when Jan was in his early teens.
Young Savitt was a prodigy on the violin, and was invited to join
the Philadelphia Orchestra at the astonishingly young age of fifteen.
Later, Savitt served as orchestra concertmaster under the baton of the
great Leopold Stowkowski. At the age of 19, Savitt organized a
nationally-recognized string quartet. Savitt's quartet became a
regular feature on Philadelphia radio and soon their broadcasts were
picked up by CBS and broadcast coast-to-coast. Radio station WCAU
offered Savitt a job as the station's musical director, but soon after
station KYW offered him even more money. And it was out of the studio
orchestra that Jan Savitt's Top Hatters was first born.
Savitt's Top Hatters began recording for Victor Records in 1937
after becoming a regional success both on radio and in person. The
band featured a "shuffle rhythm," a kind of
"oompah-oompah-oompah-oompah" rhythm played with the left hand on the
piano. Savitt was an enthusiastic leader but not a jazz musician, so
his early bands sometimes played too fast or too loud. But audiences
supported Savitt and his popularity steadily grew.
By the time Jan Savitt began recording for Decca Records in 1939 his
band was polished and could swing with the best of them. He also
featured two very good singers, a girl named Carlotta Dale and a young
African-American man named George Tunnell who preferred the stage name
"Bon-Bon." Unfortunately Bon-Bon was forced to endure the racial
discrimination of the era, often signing in as the band's valet in
order to stay at the same hotel as the rest of the band. But he was an
engaging and popular singer and audiences loved him.
Jan Savitt recorded his biggest hit for Decca at the end of 1939. "720 In The Books"
was actually the band library's number for this instrumental. But it
proved so popular with audiences that lyrics were added -- even though
the title was never changed. You can hear Savitt's signature "shuffle
rhythm" in the opening bars of the record. George 'Bon-Bon' Tunnell is
the vocalist.
Jan Savitt recorded his version of Erskine Hawkins' "Tuxedo Junction"
not quite two weeks before Glenn Miller waxed the version that went on
to become a million-seller and a Top Ten hit in 1940. Savitt's
version is taken at a much quicker tempo that Miller's, and while
Miller's arrangement invokes images of a lazy train depot on a hot
summer's day, Savitt approaches the tune as a hot swing number.
When the radio networks refused to honor the royalty demands
of ASCAP (which owned the copyrights to virtually every popular song
published in the United States) ASCAP responded by banning their songs
from radio play. In response, broadcasters created BMI (Broadcast
Music Incorporated), but in order to fill the void left by the ban of
ASCAP songs bandleaders were forced to use material that was already in
the public domain. The classical repertoire lent itself nicely to this
purpose, and Savitt's formal training as a classical violinist
certainly proved to be an asset for him. This version of Max
Werner-Kersten's "Bummel Petrus" (Jolly Peter) transforms the piano piece into jazz arrangement that owes a lot to the "Big Band Dixieland" sound of the Bob Crosby Orchestra.
Our final Savitt selection is one of his best swing tunes, "Kansas City Moods".
Originally issued as the flip-side of "Tuxedo Junction," it was this
song that ended up being a big hit for the Savitt Orchestra. A final
note to dispel some possible confusion: Savitt recorded for
Victor/Bluebird under the name Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters; he
recorded for Decca as Jan Savitt and his Orchestra.
Although his Decca recording contract ran out in 1941, the handsome
and likable Savitt continued to record for Victor/Bluebird and remained
active during the war years, eventually adding a sizable string section
to his orchestra. A cerebral hemorrhage in 1948 cut his life
tragically short at the age of 40.
ADDED: Thanks to a comment left by Stephen Danko, here two links (one) (two) that include quite a bit of genealogical information about Jan Savitt.
This Virtual Victrola "Swinging At Decca" entry spotlights the diminutive Chick Webb who, despite his painful physical handicaps, led the most exciting swing band in Harlem during the 1930's
Webb
was born in Baltimore, MD in 1909. At an early age he contracted
tuberculosis of the spine, which left his spine curved and stunted the
growth of his legs. Webb took up drumming with hopes that it would
strengthen his legs and help his stiff joints. His drum set included
special pedals and other devices that allowed him to play the bass drum
and high-hat cymbals with his feet, just like other drummers. In his
late teens, he moved to New York and began sitting in during jam
sessions with other Harlem musicians.
At the urging of Duke Ellington, Webb formed his own band when he
was just eighteen years old. The band was a hit at Harlem's famous
Savoy Ballroom, and would continue to be the top band at the Savoy
throughout the Swing Era. Though Webb was small in stature, he was a
tough leader and an astute businessman. He drilled his band thoroughly
and inspired them with his energetic drumming. Although he had no
formal training and could not read music, his dynamic playing, exciting
fills, and powerful solos were a force to be reckoned with.
Webb
also enjoyed competition immensely, and during the 1930's the Savoy
Ballroom booked the nation's top swing bands, including the bands led
by Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie,
in a series of "battles" against the Webb band. Needless to say,
Webb's "homefield advantage" led to a string of consistent victories as
judged by the Savoy's enthusiastic patrons. But numerous musicians
continually testified as to Webb's greatness and the superior quality
of his band. Benny Goodman's drummer Gene Krupa later remembered:
I'll
never forget that night, the night Benny's band battled Chick at the
Savoy -- he just cut me to ribbons -- made me feel awfully small ...
That man was dynamic; he could reach the most amazing heights. When he
really let go, you had a feeling that the entire atmosphere in the
place was being charged. When he felt like it, he could cut down any
of us.
Webb's other important asset, and the
one thing that directly led to his commercial success, was his girl
singer, a shy teenager discovered by one of Webb's friends at a local
talent competition -- Ella Fitzgerald.
At first Webb was hesitant about hiring her -- she was not particularly
attractive and she could not dance. But after she wowed the dancers at
a Yale prom, she was in. The band loved her as much as their audiences
did, and she continually turned out superior vocal performances that
culminated with two huge hit records: "A Tisket A Tasket" in 1938 and
"Undecided" the following year.
Jack Kapp signed the up-and-coming Webb orchestra to an exclusive
Decca recording contract in the fall of 1934, and Webb recorded dozens
of sides for Decca during the next five years. Here are four of them:
Our first Webb effort comes from September 1934 and is Edgar Sampson's famous tune "Don't Be That Way."
The treatment that Webb's band gives this famous big band warhorse is
very different than the more familiar version recorded by Benny Goodman
over three years later. While Goodman's record lopes along at a modest
tempo, Webb's performance jumps right from the introduction. Edgar
Sampson was a tenor saxophonist with the Webb orchestra when this
record was cut, and his arranging was admired and used extensively by
Benny Goodman. Soloists are Elmer Williams on alto sax, Sampson,
trombonist Claude Jones, and trumpeter Taft Jordan. Download chick_webb_dont_be_that_way.mp3
The Webb band continues to blow on "Harlem Congo,"
a terriffic "barnburner" that typifies the kind of electrified
performance that the Webb band could generate. Tunes like this one
propelled the thrilling "Lindy Hoppers"
whose stunning acrobatic dancing was a fixture at the Savoy. Soloists:
Taft Jordan, clarinetist Chauncey Haughton, trombonist Sandy Williams,
and Chick Webb in a maddening display of drum pyrotechnics. Download chick_webb_harlem_congo.mp3
The old Fats Waller standard "Squeeze Me"
is really a feature for trumpeter Taft Jordan, but it is also a good
example of the versatility of the Webb orchestra. Many swing bands,
even the good ones, had trouble with ballads. But Webb's drumming
fuels the band's intensity and keeps the group swinging, even at
slow-dance speed. And this record also shows that the crowds at the
Savoy liked all the dance tempos, not just the "killer-diller" swing
tunes. Download chick_webb_squeeze_me.mp3
Our final Webb number is one of the big hits that singer Ella Fitzgerald recorded for him, "Undecided".
The tune was originally conceived as an instrumental by trumpeter
Charlie Shavers, who recorded it with the John Kirby Orchestra.
Lyricist Sid Robin added words and Ella's vocal became the focal point
of the band's performance. Although Webb's health was failing when
this recording was made, he still sparks the band with his fills and
powerful single-stroke roll. Download chick_webb_undecided.mp3
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Webb continued to lead his band and play the drums even though his
stamina suffered and his performances became erratic. After a matinee
engagement at the Paramount Theater in early 1939, Chick passed out and
had to be carried off stage. Doctors soon determined that his spinal
tuberculosis had relapsed, and in June 1939 Webb was admitted to Johns
Hopkins hospital to undergo spinal surgery. He never recovered from
the operation and died soon after, telling those keeping vigil around
him, "I'm sorry, I gotta go."
Upon Chick's death, Ella Fitzgerald took over leadership of the
band, with saxophonists Teddy McCrea and Eddie Barefield acting as
musical directors. Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra continued
to record and tour until the group broke up in 1942. Needless to say,
Ella went on to become one of the most popular singers of the post-war
era and one of the most admired jazz vocalists of the Twentieth Century.