Happy heavenly birthday to great Ella Fitzgerald.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – Ella and Louis
Ella and Louis is a studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet, released in October 1956.
Personnel: Louis Armstrong – vocals, trumpet Ella Fitzgerald – vocals Oscar Peterson – piano Ray Brown – bass Herb Ellis – guitar Buddy Rich – drums
Reception. The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars and stated:”Ella and Louis is an inspired collaboration, masterminded by producer Norman Granz. Both artists were riding high at this stage in their careers, and Granz assembled a stellar quartet of Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums), Herb Ellis (guitar) and Ray Brown (bass). Equally inspired was the choice of material, with the gruffness of Armstrong’s voice blending like magic with Fitzgerald’s stunningly silky delivery. Outstanding are Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” and “Isn’t This a Lovely Day,” and everything else works like a dream, with the golden star going to the Gershwin brothers’ “They Can’t Take That Away
