Record basics

• Album name: “A Classy Pair”: Ella Fitzgerald Sings / Count Basie Plays / With the Count Basie Orchestra
• Group name: the Count Basie Orchestra
• Artist name: Ella Fitzgerald
• Year: 1982
• Number of discs: one
• Label: Pablo Today
• Collection: Selman
• Buy it on Amazon: $18.00

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I’ve never heard of this record and also never heard of Count Basie. I’ve previously reviewed two records that involved Ella Fitzgerald:

• Ella & Louis (1972): 4/5
• Billie Ella Lena Sarah (1980): 2/5

What I expected

Jazz.

What it was actually like

This was pretty similar to Ella & Louis, though comparably piano heavy, and I liked it about as much as I liked that one, and for the same reasons.

I did not recognize any of the songs, and the musical style was so consistent from song to song that I could not have picked a favorite or least favorite if I tried.

About Ella & Louis, I wrote:

The effect of listening to this record was to make me feel as if I was in a 1990s romantic comedy, and that I would just need some candles and a glass of wine to complete the mood, or maybe to be rushing through the streets in midtown on a rainy fall night, and step into a dimly lit bar, where I meet… someone.

Ditto. Also:

I wouldn’t listen to this all the time, but I probably would listen to it again when I’m entertaining guests, or maybe just one special guest!

Ditto. It’s great background music, and to add to what I wrote before, I’ve enjoyed listening to Ella Fitzgerald from time to time over the past few weeks while working or reading.

Grade

4/5: would listen again