ELLA FITZGERALD (ca. 1938-70s) Photo archive

[Los Angeles, New York]: Various, ca. 1930s-1970s. Collection of twenty-six 8 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm) and 7 x 9″ (17 x 22 cm) black-and-white glossy silver gelatin print still photos. Most have original stamps and paper blurbs attached on verso, minor wear and use, overall near fine.

Revolutionary American jazz singer and songwriter Ella Fitzgerald is depicted on stage, in recording for film and for television appearances. Included are some rare early talent agency portraits and images with other musicians.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (1917-1966) was an American jazz singer and songwriter who bridged the gap between jazz and pop with her expressive style. Known as the “First Lady of Song”, she was a key figure in the development of jazz and popular music. Fitzgerald’s career began at 17 when she won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater, and went on to include collaborations with Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Her iconic vocal range, clear tone and ability to improvise with her hallmark scat singing made her an icon. In 1938, at the age of 21, Ella recorded a playful version of the nursery rhyme “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”. The record sold one million copies, hit number one and stayed on the pop charts for 17 weeks. During the 1950s and 60s she was most popular for her recordings of American Songbook standards and her collaborations with Louis Armstrong. (Wikipedia)

Highlights include portraits and agency photos from the 1940s (one with a facsimile autograph), in concert in the 1950s and 60s, recording sessions and television appearances of the 60s and in live performances ca. 1950s-1980s.