Ella Fitzgerald – The Lost Berlin Tapes (Verve) (2xLP)

Ella and Berlin will be linked for all eternity by a concert she gave to an enthusiastic audience at the Deutschlandhalle in 1960. Ella's producer, Verve founder Norman Granz, had a delightful habit of recording his artist's most important live performances. Many of these appeared on LP, but others disappeared forever into the archives. The recording of the Berlin concert was released the same year as a Verve LP under the title "Mack The Knife" and became one of the artist's greatest successes to date

The wish for "more Ella in Berlin" was always great, but remained unfulfilled. Until now, because only now another complete Berlin concert recording of the great Ella has been discovered in Norman Granz' private estate - a concert that can rival its famous predecessor in every respect:

Ella swings with Paul Smith - piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks - bass, Stan Levey - drums, recorded Sportpalast Berlin on 25 March 1962.