Ella Fitzgerald - Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Blues (1996)

Part of a Fantasy sampler series that features musicians (and in this case a notable vocalist) performing the blues, this CD features Ella Fitzgerald on 11 performances taken from a variety of sessions. Although she never specialized in the blues, Ella had no difficulty swinging over blues changes and sometimes putting strong emotion into the lowdown variety. There is one song apiece from the 1950s and '60s, while the remainder of the program dates from 1971-1979. Ella's rendition of "C-Jam Blues" at the Santa Monica Civic in 1972 is a true classic, and other highlights include "Duke's Place" (with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1966), "I'm Walkin'," and the lengthy "Basella," with Count Basie's big band. But the material is easily available in more complete form elsewhere, making this reissue more of a sampler for casual fans.