The Irving Berlin Songbook

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A crack six-piece band featuring Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, and bassist Ray Brown backed the sharp one on this 1952 session. Swinging in the most laidback way on a group of songs that are almost as much his as the composer's--the singer-dancer introduced all but one in his classic films--Astaire works the mic charmingly. Excellent for late-night listening or over the morning's first cup of coffee. --Rickey Wright

Amazon.com

A crack six-piece band featuring Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, and bassist Ray Brown backed the sharp one on this 1952 session. Swinging in the most laidback way on a group of songs that are almost as much his as the composer's--the singer-dancer introduced all but one in his classic films--Astaire works the mic charmingly. Excellent for late-night listening or over the morning's first cup of coffee. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Respect for the song - above all.......2006-06-06

It is said that more great songs were written for Fred Astaire than for anyone else. His forte was the very great respect he paid for the lyric, and his intuitive sense of timing and emphasis. His voice was small, certainly not particularly impressive but when you hear a song by him you feel you have really 'heard' the song.

Wonderful!.......2001-05-20

Fred Astaire is a legend. Anybody who doesn't realize his talent isn't very smart. He was amazing (And this is coming from a Christina Aguilera/Metallica/Eminem fan) and he was a fabulous dancer. This collection is phenomenal. Unfortunately, my friend gave this to me and only had the first disc, so I have to miss out on the second dics, which looks great. The first CD though is a gem on it's own. Puttin' On The Ritz is a classic, as is Steppin' Out. I can honestly say I listen to this about once or twice every two weeks (Which is a miracle because of my CD collection's size) and I can listen to it all the way through. This is a definite buy. If you want some American musical history, look no further.

The marvelous Astaire at his jazzy best.......2001-03-17

Fred Astaire proves that it phrasing and timing, and not voice, that make a great singer. This is a truly remarkable CD in all aspects. The sound quality, considering it was recorded in 1952, is superb. Astaire is in incomparable form, with the songs sounding much better than some of his earlier versions (this is the DEFINITIVE version of Puttin on the Ritz, for example). And the sextet supporting Astaire, including the marvelous Oscar Peterson at the keyboard, is as fine as any. Not to be missed for anyone who loves this genre. For a little more money, you can have the complete 2 CD version of this recording session featuring a variety of other songs by Porter, Gershwin, and others, entitled the Astaire Story. It is available on Amazon.com

Astaire + Berlin = Movie Musical Magic.......2000-10-12

There will never be another Fred Astaire. Even more sobering (if possible) is this: There will never be another Irving Berlin. Masters of their craft, these men literally gave us the Great American Songbook. Many of the songs here were written by Berlin expressly for Astaire, songs that first appeared in films such as Holiday Inn, Carefree, Follow the Fleet, Blue Skies, Top Hat, and of course, Easter Parade. And it's not hard to imagine why. Fred is, of course, known primarily as a dancer, but as a true song-and-dance man, he could do both very, very well. It's unfortunate that not enough is said of his singing -- that tender, persuasive voice that takes a song and sings it directly to your heart. If you've never heard the talents of Fred Astaire or the songs of Irving Berlin, then step right this way! I can't think of a better way to start you off on the right foot than with the Irving Berlin Songbook.

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Another "must have" from "The First Lady"!

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, Vol. 1
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, Vol. 2
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, Vol. 1
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook, Vol. 2
The Harold Arlen Songbook, Vol. 2
Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook, Vol. 1

ASIN: B00000470P
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Let's Face The Music And Dance
You're Laughing At Me
Let Yourself Go
You Can Have Him
Russian Lullaby
Puttin' On The Ritz
Get Thee Behind Me Satan
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
How About Me
Cheek To Cheek
I Used To Be Color Blind
Lazy
How Deep Is The Ocean
All By Myself
Remember

Customer Reviews:

Another "must have" from "The First Lady"!.......1999-06-22

The Irving Berlin Songbook is in a word, SUPERB. I first heard this album over 20 years ago at my Grandmother's house in Michigan; I had been thumbing through her record collection and happened across this album. Up until that time I had only a glancing familiarity of her work, "A-Tisket A-Tasket" notwithstanding.

However, upon hearing "How Deep Is The Ocean?", I was gone, sunk, hooked, you name it! Twenty years later and that one song has the power to bring me to tears because of it's sheer beauty. I'm a sucker for strings simply because they can transform a song into something lush and rich and wonderful, which is exactly what the strings in "How Deep" do; from the dramatic opening strains to the bridge in the middle (along with the brief sax solo)which lifts you straight to the clouds, to the absolute gorgeous and tender finish, this song never fails in taking my breath away. "Now It Can Be Told", another stunner included on this album, frames Ella's superb vocals like a musical photograph.

For pure scat pleasure, "Blue Skies" simply ROCKS! That tune is simply awesome, defintely a song to listen to with the top down and the wind in your hair! "You Can Have Him" is another gem among the stand-outs on this album; underneath the light, breezy playful tempo, Ella proclaims to "The Other Woman" that "he's not the man for me" despite the fact that she wants to cook, clean, kiss and cuddle him, "rub his forhead with a gentle touch/mornings after when he's had too much" and have a score of children with the man! Let's face it, we know that she's absoltely loopy for the guy!

"Suppertime" is a number that is equally tense as "You Can Have Him" is playful, about a woman's realization that her man "ain't comin' home no more" (according to the play the song was taken from, he had been lynched). The release in the song, "how can I be thankful/when they have to thank the Lord/Lord" is simply shattering; you can feel Ella's anguish throughout.

"Always", which was a valentine of sorts from Berlin to his wife, remains as timeless today as it does in 1958 when Ella recorded it. To know that someone will be loving you, good or bad, up or down, is something to treasure. Defintely a great wedding song.

Tracks:

Blue Skies
Suppertime
How's Chances
Heat Wave
Isn't This A Lovely Day
You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
Reaching For The Moon
Slumming On Park Avenue
The Song Is Ended
I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
Now It Can Be Told
Always
It's A Lovely Day Today
Change Partners
No Strings
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Customer Reviews:

Ella Can Do No Wrong.......2007-05-27

No matter what she sings, it's genious, and the combination of her with Berlin is magic.

Another "must have" from the "First Lady"!.......1999-06-24

"Always", which was a valentine of sorts from Berlin to his wife, remains as timeless today as it did when Ella recorded it in 1958. To know that someone will be loving you, good or bad, up or down, is something to treasure. Defintely a great wedding song.