Ella Fitzgeralds Influences - 1541 Words

Ella Fitzgerald is known as the â€Å"First Lady of Song,† and for good reason. Throughout her career, Fitzgerald took jazz singing to new heights of fame and popularity, influencing the style of jazz and future generations of musicians. Today, her music remains well-known and loved, and her long and prolific career reflects her impeccable skill and style. Her influence is still strong today, with singers such as Adele, Mica Paris, Lady Gaga, and Lana Del Rey (BBC) citing Fitzgerald as a major influence on their style and their love of music. Fitzgerald is often referred to as one of the greatest jazz vocalists, along with Billie Holiday. However, Fitzgerald’s style was not dominated by the typical approach to jazz singing, instead being†¦show more content†¦Webb and his wife were extremely influential at this point in Fitzgerald’s career, telling her to â€Å"relax, not to rush, and go with the beat,† which would define eventually Fitzgeraldâ₠¬â„¢s style.. When Webb passed away, Fitzgerald took over the band, renaming it â€Å"Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra†. They performed together until 1941, when the wartime draft dissolved the group. Fitzgerald’s career took off after World War II, when she joined Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) concerts and toured internationally with jazz instrumentalists. While performing on the JATP tours, she was still under contract with Decca, not with Granz’s label, Verve. While under contract with Decca, her recordings mainly consisted of â€Å"material that was beneath her capabilities and that contrasted strongly with the work she was doing with JATP.†. It wasn’t until Granz bought out her Decca contract in 1955 that her talent was truly shined in the recordings. Under Verve recordings, Fitzgerald prospered and frequently performed, demonstrating her passion and talent while delighting audiences around the world. Despite her obvious talent, Fitzgerald was known for her self-doubt and frequently about how others viewed her singing. In contrast to her energetic performances, she led a rather quiet personal life. Her marriage to Bernie Kornegay in 1941 was annulled in 1943, and then in 1948 she married jazz bassist Ray Brown. In 1951, the couple adopted a baby whomShow MoreRelatedThe Roaring 20 s `` Changed Ella Fitzgerald s Lifestyle And Her Music1003 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Roaring 20’s† changed Ella Fitzgerald’s lifestyle and her music by providing outstanding musicians, financial struggles, and popular music leading her to become one of the most prominent singers of all time. Though life provided numerous struggles she still managed to push through and complete her childhood dreams of becoming an entertainer. Fitzgerald’s voice developed through the style of music in the 20’s, eminent artists vocal structure and the emotion she channeled into her music due toRead MoreHistory of Jazz Midterm2237 Words   |  9 Pagesinc./ New york )] 2.) Billie Holiday- â€Å"Played her voice as if it was a horn† horizontal style of singing because she could hit in one register(lester young) Ella Fitzgerald- Wide ranged singer, she could hit all the notes on the scale while doing it smoothly and skillfully (Hawkins style of singing) Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald are the names you think of when you hear swing era jazz singing, but also in all of jazz history. Both singers have a very distinct approach to vocal jazzRead MoreJazz Albums as Art Essay4662 Words   |  19 Pagesenclosed portfolio of album cover art springs from my ongoing concern with the emergence in the United States of a jazz culture that has affected not only virtually all other music, here and elsewhere, but other forms of expression as well. This influence has been exceedingly potent in the visual arts world where for nearly a century, painters, sculptors, photographers, and filmmakers have been inspired by jazz to create visual counterparts of the music. Working in varied media, artists have not only