Whoever decided to put pianist Marty Paich and Ella Fitzgerald together in the studio in 1966 deserves a bit of credit for the great music on Whisper Not. Together, Fitzgerald and Paich deliver a dozen beautifully sung, carefully arranged standards. An orchestra tastefully backs Fitzgerald's vocals, offering cushy support without overdoing it. Even lighter pieces like "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Old MacDonald" are given stately renditions. There's a fun version of "I Said No," filled with silly double entendres, and a relaxed take on "Thanks for the Memory." Norman Granz takes full advantage of stereo capabilities, creatively mixing the instruments to the right and left tracks while leaving Fitzgerald's voice front and center. Paich adds to the overall sound quality by varying the arrangements from song to song, carefully wrapping each tune in the right package. These fine-tuned arrangements also provide the perfect launching pad for Fitzgerald to place her own stamp on material associated with other singers. While both "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" and "You've Changed" will be recognized as Billie Holiday classics, Fitzgerald delivers light, elegant versions that are distinctly her own. Whisper Not captures two intelligent artists working toward a common goal and creating beautiful music in the process. -
by Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., AMGArtist: Ella Fitzgerald and Marty Paich and His Orchestra
Album: Whisper Not
Year: 1966
Label: Verve (2002)
Total time: 40:41
Tracks:1. Sweet Georgia Brown (Ben Bernie/Kenneth Casey/Maceo Pinkard) 3:35
2. Whisper Not (Leonard Feather/Benny Golson) 3:51
3. I Said No (Frank Loesser/Jule Styne) 2:19
4. Thanks for the Memory (Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin) 4:05
5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (Fran Landesman/Tommy Wolf) 4:04
6. Old MacDonald (Traditional/Leonard Feather) 3:04
7. Time After Time (Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne) 3:31
8. You've Changed (Bill Carey/Carl Fischer/Roger "Ram" Ramirez) 4:24
9. I've Got Your Number (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh) 2:24
10. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?) (Jimmy Davis/Roger "Ram" Ramirez/Jimmy Sherman) 2:49
11. Wives and Lovers (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) 3:19
12. Matchmaker (Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick) 3:16
Personnel:Ella Fitzgerald (Vocals)
Marty Paich (Arranger)
Chuck Berghofer (Double Bass)
Louie Bellson (Drums)
Harry "Sweets" Edison (Trumpet)
Shelly Manne (Drums)
Joe Mondragon (Double Bass)
Bill Perkins (Tenor Saxophone)
Jimmy Rowles (Piano)
Al Viola (Guitar)
Stu Williamson (Trumpet)
