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Jazzing things up
In mid 1936, Ella made her first recording.
Love and Kisses
was released under the Decca label, with moderate success.
By this time she was performing with Chick's band at the
prestigious Harlem's Savoy Ballroom, often referred to
as "The World's Most Famous Ballroom."
Shortly afterward, Ella began singing a rendition of the
song, (If You Can't Sing
It) You
Have to Swing It. During this
time, the era of big swing bands was shifting, and the
focus was turning more toward bebop. Ella played with
the new style, often using her voice to take on the role
of another horn in the band. You
Have to Swing It was one of
the first times she began experimenting with scat singing,
and her improvisation and vocalization thrilled fans.
Throughout her career, Ella would master scat singing,
turning it into a form of art.
In 1938, at the age of 21, Ella recorded a playful version
of the nursery rhyme, A-Tisket,
A-Tasket. The album sold one
million copies, hit number one, and stayed on the pop
charts for 17 weeks. Suddenly, Ella Fitzgerald was famous.
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