Billie or Ella? Maria or Renata? Technique or feeling?

skyscraper-If  you just want to hear Ella in one of her best settings  that's only with piano or simple Jazz ensemble. Check out here Decca and early Verve output for some of her finest. The songbook/orchestra settings is what most people remember her for. 

Thanks tablejockey. I'll check the Decca and early Verve material out. That sounds like what I'd be looking for.

Good recommendations by tablejockey.

It’s interesting that the distinction is being made re “song book” material as concerns both Ella and Billie. The fact is that most of the material recorded by Billie is in fact, and like Ella’s…….also part of the Great American Songbook.

Two different singers with two different styles. Jazz is, stylistically, a lot of different things depending on the particular artist. In fact, individuality of style is one of the. key ingredients of Jazz. Ella’s was not as gritty and pained as was Billie’s. Does that make her less of a Jazz singer? I don’t think so. It’s also interesting that singers seem to be accorded less stylistic latitude than instrumentalists. Was Lester Young less of a Jazz player than Coltrane? After all, he had a beautifully light and smooth tone with perfect intonation (sound familiar?). Coltrane, on the other hand, had tons of grit and angst in his playing and tended to play a little sharp.

skyscraper, you may like this one: