Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas A Quick, Good Little Time.
By
Kristin Battestella
It’s
tough to introduce this 1967 traditional Christmas album because surely it
should carry a few words of introduction for its songstress Ella Fitzgerald,
too. However, how does one go about introducing Ella Fitzgerald- doesn’t
everyone already know who she is? They dang well should, and the uninitiated
can most definitely receive his or her education with this swift December disc.
O Holy Night opens Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas on a nice and easy note indicative of the album’s
overall tone. Ella keeps this often too
lofty for the rest of us carol soft and calm for a pleasant candlelit night.
The track, however, is just too short. Unfortunately, the entire album also
comes in too fast at under a half an hour. It Came
Upon a Midnight Clear is the longest tune here and yet it isn’t enough. I
want to hear Ella’s nice and innocent brand on this less and less often heard carol
for all the verses! Thankfully, Hark the
Herald Angels Sing continues the casual reverence and able to sing a long
feeling of Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas. This
is not a flippant album or a set rushed in the respectfulness, oh no. By
contrast, it’s quite time-honored and old-fashioned proper, and yet Ella keeps the
notes family friendly rather than formal.
Away in a Manger slows the session down and allows time for Ella’s
perfect range. The sound is big and yet
still childlike and full of seasonal sentiment while Joy to the World mixes Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas up a bit by adding a choir and a fresh arrangement.
It’s already a happy, catchy carol and you can’t help but echo in with Ella! It’s surprising; however, that The First Noel is kept so down low when
it could have been a lot bigger for a songstress such as Ella. Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas is quiet and peaceful, perfect for a holiday dinner
party, yes. But nonetheless, this album is really only an introductory hint of
the octaves Ella Fitzgerald is capable of singing. These shorter tracks may
allow for seemingly more songs- 13 in total- but it isn’t enough. I want more!
More! 1:40? That’s only a sample!
Thankfully,
we almost hear all of Ella for Silent
Night. This longer session is slow and delicate as this Christmas Eve carol
requires, and yet, Ella somehow jazzes it up a bit by accentuating all the
special notes with a spiritual quiver. This tune is perhaps the best track on Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas in terms of
showing Ella’s vocal abilities. My favorite carol O Come All Ye Faithful also receives a few big notes from Ella
along with church bells and a going caroling family mood. Although I haven’t heard Sleep, My Little Jesus before Ella, there’s great sway in this soft
lullaby. She lingers on each note in a wonderful musical whisper and takes a moment
of pause to go deeper into the Reason for the Season.
After
all the soft and sweet, Angels We Have
Heard on High kicks Ella Fitzgerald’s
Christmas up an octave. Her longwinded notes and big sounds are like a one-woman
choir. All Ella’s might and yet, it’s
all still so gentle on the ears- as if we’re not supposed to wake the baby in
the manger! Oh Little Town of Bethlehem also plays soft and good, almost like a
ballad from a musical. The way Ella accentuates the verses resonates with the
power of Broadway but still feels delicate enough for the country church. It
sounds disrespectful in describing it, but Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas is all-good in a good way!
After
all of the family friendly somber, We
Three Kings gets unexpectedly hip. Instead of the usual, brooding medieval
arrangement, there’s a swanky reverence, almost a rock out twist. You want to shake your hips, get up, and come
along with the wise men as God Rest Ye
Merry Gentlemen continues the catchy trend. There’s a perfectly Ella rat a tat
tat spin, and even though this was a largely quiet and mellow album, Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas ends on a
snappy high note.
Obviously,
there’s not a secular tune in sight for Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas despite the laid back, soft and sophisticated
neutral pleasure here. Families looking for a more casual holiday should enjoy the
1960 Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
title instead for more seasonally big notes. Family audiences new and old, longtime Ella
fans, or scat newcomers can enjoy the traditional Christmas collection here
thanks to the mellow reverence for complete audience balance and appreciation. Ella
Fitzgerald’s Christmas is deliberate and old school classy but refined
enough for today’s playlist- with the proof found in multiple download editions
and an out of stock wait on Amazon. Now if only it wasn’t so short!
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