- Title: USA: ARTISTS HONOUR THE LATE ELLA FITZGERALD
- Date: 9th July 1996
- Summary: PIANIST TOMMY FLANAGAN SAYING THAT HIS "LYRICAL PLAYING" CAME FROM LISTENING TO AND PERFORMING WITH FITZGERALD (ENGLISH) VOCALIST RUTH BROWN DESCRIBES MEETING FITZGERALD: "I WAS NERVOUS. SHE SAID THAT'S GOOD 'CAUSE IF YOU LOSE THAT YOU'RE KIND OF OVERCONFIDENT." (ENGLISH)
- Embargoed: 24th July 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA7FAPANPC95M0BOB3PJFFTXLCO
- Story Text: Music celebrating the life of jazz great Ella Fitzgerald filled Carnegie Hall in New York Tuesday evening (July 9), as artists who knew her, had played with her, or just admired her, took the stage to honour her.
Fitzgerald died June 15 at the age of 78, after a 60 year career during which she was known as "The First Lady of Song." Musicians who toured extensively with Fitzgerald shared their memories with Reuters Television during a rehearsal break at Carnegie Hall.
Fellow jazz singer Carol Sloane recounted their train's arrival at a town in Italy, where there was no one at the station to meet Fitzgerald. She said all of the musicians were upset by this "flagrant neglect of this major star." But Fitzgerald was the "epitomy of grace.. and said nothing," Sloane said.
Trumpeter Clark Terry remembered how after a night of playing at club in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, all of the musicians would play softball in a nearby park. "AndElla could hit( She was a good dancer, too," he said.
Fitzgerald's long-time piano accompanist Tommy Flanagan seemed tearful as he spoke of her. He said, "My lyrical playing came from my work with her, the many years I spent listening and accompanying her." Singer Ruth Brown told how when she met Fitzgerald, "I was very nervous and she said,'that's good 'cause if you lose that you're kind of overconfident.'" Brown performed Fitzgerald's 1934 hit "A-Tiskit, A-Taskit" at the Carnegie Hall celebration.
Fitzgerald's ex-husband, jazz bassist Ray Brown, told of the evening he presented her with a new accompanist. "I just left them in the den and drove off," he said "I came back two hours later and she had the biggest smile on her face," he recalled. The pianist was Hank Jones, who began performing with Fitzgerald.
Brown and Fitzgerald were divorced in 1952. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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