In Session with Ella Fitzgerald: Book & CD

These eight recordings capture Fitzgerald at her interpretive best, delivering the kind of natural swing and conversational phrasing that singers study for years to achieve. The CD accompaniment allows vocalists to experience singing alongside a real jazz ensemble rather than rehearsal piano, which fundamentally changes how students internalize rhythm and melody. Pairing the songbook with Fitzgerald's own recordings creates a master class dynamic that no commentary can replicate.

These recordings carry the warmth and naturalness of Fitzgerald's voice paired with swinging ensemble arrangements that feel conversational rather than stiff. Each song unfolds with the ease of someone telling a story, where the melody bends around the chords and the rhythm floats just enough to feel alive without ever losing its anchor.

This resource serves vocalists in jazz ensembles, vocal jazz classes, or private studios who want to deepen their understanding of standard interpretation through direct study with one of its greatest practitioners. It's equally valuable for singers new to jazz who need accessible models and for experienced singers looking to refine their approach to swing rhythm and melodic nuance.

• Listen to Fitzgerald's phrasing in each track multiple times before singing. Notice where she sits behind the beat, where she lands ahead, and how she shapes the melody around the harmonic changes rather than treating the written line as fixed.
• Sing along with the recording in sections. Master the melody first, then work on matching her rhythmic placement and vocal tone without trying to imitate her vibrato or signature quirks.
• Pay attention to how Fitzgerald handles the bridge or B section in each tune. These sections often contain the harmonic density and are where her interpretive choices are most distinctive.
• Record yourself singing with the accompaniment track and listen back. You'll hear rhythmic placement and intonation issues that aren't apparent while singing, and you can compare your choices to Fitzgerald's recorded version.

Feature a selection of these songs in a jazz vocalists' showcase or cabaret format, where Fitzgerald's arrangements provide genuine big band context without requiring a full student ensemble. Alternatively, use individual tracks as listening assignments paired with score study in a jazz history or vocal jazz technique course, asking students to identify specific interpretive choices and discuss how they differ from notated melody.

• Recognizing and executing swing rhythms in eighth-note passages
• Phrasing melody across chord changes rather than strictly to written rhythm
• Controlling vibrato and tone color in different dynamic contexts
• Understanding jazz articulation and how to shape consonants and vowels for blend
• Developing ear for intonation in jazz contexts, including blue notes and alterations