Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography of the First Lady of Jazz

The revised edition of this survey of jazz lady Ella Fitzgerald will appeal to any who haven't already gotten too many jazz biographies of Ella under their belts. Ella Fitzgerald defined the female voice in jazz, and Stuart Nicholson's biography was considered a classic in the genre. This updated edition includes further research of original documents, photos, and interviews to expand upon Ella's life.

This is the best of the Ella bios. Authoritative, well-written, and insightful with a helpful discography. Avoid the much inferior "First Lady of Song" by Fidelman. THIS is the bio to buy.

I'd have given this book 4 1/2 stars given the option. The only reason I didn't give it 5 is that it gets somewhat dry towards the end, but I blame my attention span for some of that. It's full of fascinating stories, tidbits and opinions from musicians, producers, friends and agents who worked with Ella. You'll come away from the book with a new understanding of Ella the person and Ella the musician. You'll learn much about the times and the musicians who created the story of popular music and jazz in America. You'll also have a fascinating guide to her recorded music, the whys and the hows of it, the circumstances that made it wonderful or less than great. I recommend this book!