ELLA FITZGERALD AT MR. KELLY'S (2 CDs)

INCLUDES 7 BONUS TRACKS

This release presents Ella Fitzgerald’s 1958 performances at the iconic Chicago club Mister Kelly’s. For thirty years, before it closed on August 25, 1975, it was a springboard to fame for countless entertainers. As reported in the Chicago Tribune, “It was a supernova in the local and national nightlife firmament.”

Ella is backed on these sets by a trio consisting of Lou Levy on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums. She performs a nice collection of well-known standards, as well as some tunes she rarely sang, such as the opening “Your Red Wagon” and “Across the Alley from the Alamo”.

Three rare radio broadcasts, which also showcase Ella singing at small clubs have been added here as a bonus.

PERSONNEL:

ELLA FITZGERALD, vocals
LOU LEVY, piano
MAX BENNETT, bass
GUS JOHNSON, drums

Mister Kelly’s, Chicago, August 10, 1958.

CD 1: Total Time: 68:41

01 YOUR RED WAGON
02 NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
03 I’M GLAD THERE IS YOU
04 HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?
05 ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THE ALAMO
06 PERDIDO
07 THE LADY IS A TRAMP
08 BEWITCHED
09 SUMMERTIME
10 IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING
11 ST. LOUIS BLUES
12 WITCHCRAFT
13 LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME
14 JOE WILLIAMS’ BLUES
15 PORGY & BESS MEDLEY (I LOVES YOU PORGY/ PORGY, I’S YOUR WOMAN NOW [BESS, YOU IS MY WOMAN NOW])
16 HOW HIGH THE MOON

CD 2: Total Time: 63:41

01 Announcement
02 EXACTLY LIKE YOU
03 COME RAIN OR COME SHINE
04 STARDUST
05 ‘S WONDERFUL
06 YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
07 WITCHCRAFT #2
08 PERDIDO #2
09 IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING #2
10 MY FUNNY VALENTINE
11 ANYTHING GOES
12 Introduction by John McLellan (*)
13 WHY DON’T YOU DO RIGHT? (*)
14 MEAN TO ME (*)
15 Closing announcement (*)
16 I CAN’T GET STARTED (*)
17 LATER (*)
18 THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC (*)

(*) BONUS TRACKS CD 2 [12-18]:

CD 2 [12-15]: Ella Fitzgerald (vcl), Hank Jones (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Jo Jones (d).
Storyville Club, Boston, February 7, 1953.

CD 2 [16]: Ella Fitzgerald (vcl) with unidentified rhythm section.
Apollo Theater, New York, fall 1954.

CD 2 [17-18]: Ella Fitzgerald (vcl), Raymond Tunia (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), unknown (d).
Basin Street, New York, August 3 or 7, 1955.