Ella Fitzgerald - The Best Of The Song Books (1993)

Recognized worldwide as "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald is
arguably the finest female jazz vocalist of all time. Blessed with a highly
resonant voice, wide range, and near-perfect elocution, Fitzgerald also
possessed a deft sense of swing, and with her brilliant scat technique,
could hold her own against any of her instrumental contemporaries.

She came to initial popularity as a member of drummer Chick Webb's band in
the 1930s, scoring a hit with a "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," before ascending to
wide acclaim in the 1940s with Jazz at the Philharmonic and Dizzy
Gillespie's Big Band, and issuing landmark performances like "Flying Home"
and "How High the Moon." Working with producer/manager Norman Granz, she
gained even more acclaim with her series of albums on Verve, recording
definitive versions of the music of the Great American Songbook composers,
including 1956's Sings the Cole Porter Songbook.

Over her 50-year career, she earned 13 Grammy Awards, sold over 40 million
albums, and picked up numerous accolades including a National Medal of Arts
and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A hugely important cultural figure,
Fitzgerald made an immeasurable impact on the development of jazz and
popular music, and remains a touchstone for fans and artists decades after
her passing.