Best of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan


What is your favorite album or 'must own' song or recording by the following artists:

Etta James
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughan
Billie Holiday

Just looking to pick up a few new CD's and there are SO many from these catalogues. Content is the MOST important, quality is second. If the recording is the best of both, great!!!

Thanks!
jh2os
Excellent thread.... These are the the best kind of threads and not enough of them. There is a gapping hole in my collection for classic female jazz artiist. I am taking good notes so keep up the good work.
Try Etta's latest - "Blues to the Bone" At 67 (I think she was born in '38) she can sing the blues like nobody's business. All of her work is superior - try her first LP "At last", live from 1963 "Rocks the House", "Tell Mama" from 1968 with an amazing muscle shoals music section, and some of the later ones mentioned above. She is truly amazing.
For Sarah Vaughan try anything on the Pablo label (Ellington Songbooks, Copacabana, etc.) and stay away from her Roulette label material (more pop than jazz, but others may disagree). Also look out for her version of "September Song" with Clifford Brown, it's on several compilations.

For Ella Fitzgerald any of the Songbooks (Gershwin, Ellington, Rogers/Hart etc.) on Verve are great. "Let's Do It" with Louis Armstrong is also very good, as is "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley".

Verve also has a multi-disc set featuring both Sarah and Ella in their 'Round Midnight series.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong duets are excellent. Especially Porky and Bess, which is also an excellent quality recording.