Ella Fitzgerald Friday Night is Music Night

Friday Night Is Music Night presents a special tribute concert recorded at the Hackney Empire, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. Starring Clare Teal, Mica Paris, Louise Marshall, and Emma Kershaw with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe.

Amazingly, the greatest female jazz singer of the twentieth century started out wanting to be a dancer. She had no ambitions for her voice at all. But fate, in the form of Ella's own nerves, took a hand. Having entered a talent competition as a dancer, she panicked when she saw the strength of the competition and decided at the last minute not to dance, but to sing instead. Good decision. Ella won the contest and history was made.

This concert covers Ella's story from her earliest beginnings, working with band leader Chick Webb, to being introduced to the great producer Norman Granz and her extraordinary project with him recording the groundbreaking Songbooks series. These classic albums featured the best songs of Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, The Gershwins, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, and Rodgers and Hart, writing a new chapter in recording history.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.