Thise 2001 set from the Allegro Corporation's Cocktail Hour series contains 28 tracks spanning a good portion of Ms. Fitzgerald's career. The "Fellas" part is very liberally interpreted - several of the tracks are Fitzgerald solos with noted orchestras - such as Vic Schoen, Chick Webb, and Benny Goodman. But the majority of them are either vocal duets or Ella being backed by various vocal groups.
The duets are pairings with "the two Louies" - if you will - Armstrong and Jordan - always good listening. The backing groups on other tracks are also often "top shelf" - most notably the Mills Brothers, Ink Spots and Delta Rhythm Boys. This package is a convenient and relatively inexpensive means of acquiring tunes by Ella and these groups.
Liner notes are very sketchy. You get no real history (or even recording or release dates), so you'll have to look elsewhere for this info. All you get is some very general info about the accompanying artists (typically, for example, there are only 2 1/2 lines about Benny Goodman and 3 lines about Chick Webb).
Listening to Ella's scat singing is still another of the pleasures of this package. Jazz?? Jive?? Pop?? Call it what you will, it's good music.
I like it, hope you do, too...
Track listing:
Disc 1:
1. Flying Home - with Vic Schoen
2. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) - with Chick Webb
3. Stone Cold Dead In The Market - with Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
4. Benny's Coming Home On Saturday - with Randy Brooks
5. Big Boy Blues - with the Mills Brothers
6. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine - with Johnny Long & the Song Spinners
7. Mr. Paganini (If You Can't Sing It, You'll Have To Swing It) - with Chick Webb
8. My Melancholy Baby - with Teddy Wilson
9. Petootie Pie - with Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
10. It's Only A Paper Moon - with the Delta Rhythm Boys
11. Goodnight My Love - with Benny Goodman
12. For Sentimental Reasons - with the Delta Rhythm Boys
13. I'm Just A Lucky So And So - with Billy Kyle
14. Cry You Out Of My Heart - with the Delta Rhythm Boys
Disc 2:
1. A Kiss Goodnight - with Randy Brooks
2. Mama, Come Home - with the Four Keys
3. Cow-Cow Boogie - with the Ink Spots
4. Oh Yes, Take Another Guess - with Benny Goodman
5. Dedicated To You - with the Mills Brothers
6. The Frim Fram Sauce - with Louis Armstrong
7. I Was Doin' All Right - with the Savoy Eight
8. I'm Beginning To See The Light - with the Ink Spots
9. I'm Confessin' That I Love You - with Johnny Long & the Song Spinners
10. All My Life - with Teddy Wilson
11. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall - with the Ink Spots
12. You Won't Be Satisfied - with Louis Armstrong
13. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight - with the Delta Rhythm Boys
14. I Didn't Mean A Word I Said - with Billy Kyle
