Ella Fitzgerald - Something to Live For

"She could swing. She was a natural" She was the queen of swing. She liked lyrics because they could tell a story.

In her lifetime she won 13 Grammy awards, and sold over 40 million records. Her off-stage life was as interesting as her life as an artist singer. She loved her adopted son, and supported her extended family with what they needed. One secret about Ella was her deep concern for children, because of her difficult early years. She would give grants to children, without any publicity.

Ella Fitzgerald has been my introduction into the wonderful world of Jazz. The queen of swing, was so talented she could sing many times of genres (big band, bipbop) but she was primarily a vocalist, and a very talented one.

This documentary has some extraordinary footage from different international concerts, and also from different times in her career. At the beginning of the movie, I really did not know who Ella Fitzgerald was or that she was even known only by her first name (can't really blame me, an engineer), but now I want to hear more music sung by Ella. I found this American Master's series DVD at my local library

After several months the DVD still didn't arrive and therefore I will be extremely hesitant to by anything else from this store again!

This DVD is a magnificent review of the life and career of the incomparable jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald! Essentially a bio flick spliced with spell-binding footage of Fitzgerald in concert at the peak of her prowess as the consummate song stylist, "Something to Live For" is a superb showcase of her octave-defying ability to elevate scat-singing to a fine art. Except for Sarah Vaughan--Fitzgerald's only real rival--no one could touch Fitzgerald's smoothness, her uncanny musical ear and improvisationary skills. Blessed with perfect pitch--it was said that her backing musicians used her voice to tune their instruments--Fitzgerald set a near-unmatchable course, coursing through the swing and bebop eras through stripped-down post-modernist combos and retro.

"Something to Live For" charts her rise from Harlem beginnings to world-famous jazz diva. Her musical development is juxtaposed with her often unhappy personal life, which included the early death of her mother (before Fitzgerald was a pre-teen), two failed marriages, her inability to have children, the eventual toll of near-constant touring, along with her willful ignorance of the diabetes which eventually killed her. At times, you feel as if music was the only thing that kept her afloat--indeed something she truly lived for. Narrated by the great Tony Bennett, this DVD features a considerable number of wry, funny and insightful interviews with peers, friends and fellow artist admirers (Johnny Mathis, the late great pianist Oscar Peterson)

Ella Fitzgerald has been slammed by some who have found her cool perfection boring, but this DVD makes it clear that she was anything but. She may have been a letter-perfect recording artist, but her live performances are revelations! Many of her televised and filmed performances (alone and with other artists) are filled with humor and exceptional warmth. On the flip side, her stunning versions of "Lover Man where can You be" and "Something to Live For" prick the heart: you can actually see and FEEL her pain and pathos. As filmographies go, "Something to Live For" is as good it gets. Highly recommended!

This exciting, 86-minute video of Ella Fitzgerald's life and career, directed by Charlotte Zwerin, highlights aspects of her private life and combines that personal story with extensive footage of some of her early performances. Narrated by Tony Bennett, and containing excerpts from her long interview with Andre Previn, the bio ranges widely in time and place, filling in important biographical information, at the same time that it focuses on her development as a singer.

From her earliest days when she was an aspiring dancer, we learn of her difficulties at home, and following the death of her mother, her possible abuse by her stepfather. After escaping from a girls' reformatory, she goes on the road with Chick Webb, who mentors her, and following his death she gets the "greatest education I've ever had"--singing bebop. Playing the role of a horn (vocally), she learns to imitate its sound exactly, with her perfect pitch, and it is through this imitation of the trumpet that she creates and becomes an expert on scat.

Norman Granz, who became her manager from 1953 through her death in 1997, makes jazz "classy," refusing to allow racial discrimination in the halls where Ella performs, arranging performances of jazz at the Philharmonic, and making his musicians feel important. Through the Great American Songbook series which he arranges for her, Ella gains many new fans, and her numerous TV performances make her name a household word.

Wonderful clips of Ella singing with Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong (who cracks her up), Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, a Mel Torme so young his voice is still almost soprano, and even in a trio with Joan Sutherland and Dinah Shore, show Ella as a trouper, having fun, enjoying the company of these other famous stars, and always hitting every note.

Though she had a difficult personal life, Ella, as seen here, is often playful, singing wild country and western and a "soul" piece at a London concert, a terrific medley of children's songs with Bing Crosby, in which she sings scat while he whistles, and even an amazing tune in which she sings virtually every instrument in the band.

Many of her most famous songs are featured: "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Misty," 1968's "Summertime," "Lady is a Tramp" with Frank Sinatra, and "Azure (In An Azure Mood)." Showing Ella on the road during her entire 58-year career, this video brings her to life once again and inspires our even greater appreciation. Mary Whipple

Luckily I was able to see Ella In Concert numerous times throughout the 70's and 80's and was honored to have her autograph two L.P.'s by her limousine after a concert she gave at the Junior College I attended at the time in 1972...Ella was kind and gracious and that quailty plus her brilliant artistry really come through and shine in this stunning documentary of her life and incomparable career. Tony Bennett is the perfect choice to narrate this magnificent "American Masters" production and his love of Ella comes through and adds alot of soul to the special. Performance footage is ultimately what becomes breathtaking to experience and when Ella sings the classic "Something To Live For" it is breathtakingly beautiful and completely haunting. The use of concert footage from the various stages of her career show that Ella found joy in sharing her gift with her audience and songs like "For Once In My Life" become life experiences that are emotionally engrossing and technically brilliant. This "American Masters" special is a keeper so for anyone who loves the legendary Ella get this historical work fast while it is available as this is the definitive work about the life and career of this wonderous and gifted talent...BRAVO ELLA and thank you are all the wonderful years of sublime singing and you are truly missed!!!