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Ella Fitzgerald: Jazz Analysis

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The Evolution of Jazz was one of my favorite and most interesting classes this semester. I was able to begin and grow my knowledge of jazz, while simultaneously widening my perspective of music in general. I am also taking a course on feminist studies this semester, so maybe I am just on a pro-female kick, but by far my favorite jazz artist we discussed this semester was Ella Fitzgerald. Maybe it was because I can’t play an instrument, so I could better relate to her talent, or maybe it was my pro-women vibes, but I think it was her incredibly beautiful bellows that drew me towards her music. Ella Fitzgerald was dubbed the “First Lady of Song” and was by far the most prominent female jazz singer in history. Her vocal range was outstanding, her pitch was flawless, but it was her contagious liveliness and energy that drew in crowds and kept fans returning for more. Her career began at the age of 17 when she won a singing contest in Harlem at the Apollo Theatre. From there, her career escalated and she went on to win 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. …show more content…

It became one of Ella’s signature songs due to her famous ability to scat. After the original verse and lyrics, she dives into a fun-loving scat solo where she impersonates various instruments with her voice and shows off her incredible breadth of vocal range. Charlie Parker created a similar tune to mirror “How High the Moon” called “Ornithology”, and Ella seamlessly referenced his song in her improvising after she first sings the original verse. Ella Fitzgerald’s voice is her instrument with her impeccable control over rhythm and melodies through her voice, and I think it is showcased wonderfully in this

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