Ella Fitzgerald – Mack The Knife - Ella In Berlin

Great live recording of Ella, with a set list of fun tunes. I was very happy to find this. This re-pressing sounds perfectly fine to me, as well.

I have the same MG VS-6163 on the cover. But I don't see anywhere that it was produced in Canada.

Great recording of well known standards from one of the most joyful voices of the 20th century.

Stamped matrix runout looks like GZ, but the number and pressing quality belongs to Optimal...? Fine "jam session" for 12000 people. But Ella with the band saved the club atmosphere. Her presentation reflects the period when artists like Ella or Louis did the show over the world. Some of those concerts were had strong "trade" feeling. But this one is perfect. Notorious known by her forgotten lyrics in title song. Remarkable is her interpretation of the last song, perhaps the longest I have ever listen. The sound is excellent and mastering pretty mirrors live atmosphere. I trust the statement of hi-res master from analog tapes, due to soft tape bliss in some parts. So close to my old stock of tapes. Easily recommended.

“Oh what’s the next chorus, to this song, now
This is the one, now I don’t know
But it was a swinging tune and it’s a hit tune
So we tried to do Mack the Knife

Ah, Louis Miller, oh, something about cash
Yeah, Miller, he was spending that trash
And Macheath dear, he spends like a sailor
Tell me, tell me, tell me could that boy do, something rash?

Oh Bobby Darin and Louis Armstrong
They made a record, oh but they did
And now Ella, Ella, and her fellas
We’re making a wreck, what a wreck of Mack the Knife”

Tracks 10 and 11 ("Love for Sale" and "Just One of Those Things") were mistakenly included. They are from the August 15, 1956 Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl concert.

Tengo una edición chilena de la época, la voz suena muy alejada y al subir el volumen predomina el sonido a frituras

Reviewing a second copy, this one a 1960 MONO pressing. This is an excellent Ella Fitzgerald record to add to your jazz collection. She does her very best work in front of an audience, and mid-career Ella gives us her best voice, IMO. "Tramp" and "Mack" are two absolute highlights, and "Too Darn Hot" swings like the devil.

Jim Hall is in here, but he doesn't take solos, but adds some tasty fills. He does play 3-1/2 bars of solo on "Lorelei", so there's that.

Between the two versions I have, I prefer this one.

Recommended.

I believe jazz is meant to be enjoyed live, and Ella is one of those artists who is at her best in front of an audience. This concert is epic. I especially enjoyed "Lady is a Tramp" , "How High the Moon" and "Mack the Knife", she put in an extra verse on "Lady" that you don't often hear. And she quoted Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" in her scat solo on HHTM, cute (Among dozens of clever quotes, I should note). She and her band swing hard. Great recording too.

Amazing record, dead quite, great sound!
And the music is also superb!