1957 · Album
Ella And Louis Again
Recorded 1957 · Verve Records · Recording Locations: Radio Recorders and Capitol Studios, Hollywood
When Ella and Louis Found Their Groove Again
Their vocal rapport was so strong that Armstrong's absence from trumpet didn't matter as much as you'd think.
Ella and Louis Again picks up where Ella and Louis (1956) left off, but it's a different animal. The first album was all duets—Ella and Louis trading phrases, playing off each other's phrasing. This one loosens the formula. Seven tracks go solo, giving each of them room to breathe without the other. That might sound like a step backward, but it actually works. You get a clearer picture of what each singer brings to the table when they're not always in conversation.
The big change musically is Armstrong's trumpet. On the predecessor, he played on every track. Here he shows up on six. The Oscar Peterson Trio returns to back them, now joined by drummer Louie Bellson. That's a solid outfit—Peterson's always swinging, and Bellson keeps things moving. Alex Henderson, writing for AllMusic, nailed it: their vocal rapport is so strong that the trumpet shortage doesn't hurt. Armstrong still sounds like Armstrong whether he's blowing or singing, and Fitzgerald is Fitzgerald no matter what. The duo spends more time together than apart, which is where the real magic lives. When they're on the same track, there's an ease between them that feels earned, not forced.
This isn't the album that changed jazz or anything like that. It's a solid professional job by two singers who knew exactly what they were doing. If you've heard the first Ella and Louis record and want more of that chemistry, this delivers. It's comfortable, well-played, and frankly worth your time. Not every jazz album needs to be a landmark. Sometimes you just want to hear two great singers who like each other, backed by musicians who can keep up.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Ella Fitzgerald
Wishes You a Swinging Christmas 1960
Ella and Louis 1956
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book 1956
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book 1957
The musicians on this record
Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson 1959
Oscar Peterson
plays piano here
plays piano here
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson 1957
Louis Armstrong
plays trumpet here
plays trumpet here
Cannonball Adderley and the Poll-Winners 1960
Ray Brown
plays double bass here
plays double bass here
Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre 1959
Herb Ellis
plays guitar here
plays guitar here
