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Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Blues
Jazz · 1996 · 8 tracks

Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Blues

Ella Fitzgerald

November 22, 1996 · Pablo Records

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Bluella presents a fascinating, earthier side of Ella Fitzgerald that often gets overshadowed by her pristine Songbook recordings. While she is the undisputed queen of rhythmic joy, this collection highlights her ability to inhabit the lowdown, emotional spaces of the blues without ever losing her signature sense of swing.

The tracks here, largely pulled from her 1970s output on Pablo Records, showcase a voice that has gained a beautiful, weathered depth. It is less about the acrobatic perfection of her youth and more about a seasoned master using every ounce of her experience to communicate soul and resilience.

Tracklist · 8 Tracks
02
Duke’s Place
4:39
03
St. Louis Blues
3:08
06
Happy Blues
6:13
07
Billie’s Bounce
5:01
08
I’m Walkin’
5:36
09
Fine and Mellow
2:50
10
St. Louis Blues
5:22
11
Basella
10:30
Moments Worth Listening For
The eleven-minute marathon of C-Jam Blues where Ella trades increasingly complex melodic ideas with a full stage of jazz legends.
The intimate, stripped-back moment in Fine and Mellow where her voice takes on a rare, vulnerable huskiness.
The explosive entry of the Count Basie Orchestra during the climax of Basella, pushing the vocal energy to a peak.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Bluella: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Blues sound next to the rest of Ella Fitzgerald's catalogue?

VOCMOOLYRINSPRO

This album stays in step with the catalogue across the board — no axis departs enough to be worth its own note. Hover the dots to see where each one sits.

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