Title
Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song,Used
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
An NPR 2023 'Books We Love' Pick A Kirkus Best Nonfiction Book of 2023A landmark biography that reclaims Ella Fitzgerald as a major American artist and modernist innovator.Ella Fitzgerald (19171996) possessed one of the twentieth centurys most astonishing voices. In this first major biography since Fitzgeralds death, historian Judith Tick offers a sublime portrait of this ambitious risktaker whose exceptional musical spontaneity made her a transformational artist.Becoming Ella Fitzgerald clears up longenduring mysteries. Archival research and indepth family interviews shed new light on the singers difficult childhood in Yonkers, New York, the tragic death of her mother, and the year she spent in a girls reformatory schoolwhere she sang in its renowned choir and dreamed of being a dancer. Rarely seen profiles from the Black press offer precious glimpses of Fitzgeralds tense experiences of racial discrimination and her struggles with constricting models of Black and white femininity at midcentury.Ticks compelling narrative depicts Fitzgeralds complicated career in fresh and original detail, upending the traditional view that segregates vocal jazz from the genres mainstream. As she navigated the shifting tides between jazz and pop, she used her originality to pioneer modernist vocal jazz. Interpreting longlost setlists, reviews from both white and Black newspapers, and newly released footage and recordings, the book explores how Ellas transcendence as an improvisor produced onstage performances every bit as significant as her historic recorded oeuvre.From the singers first performance at the Apollo Theatres famous Amateur Night to the Savoy Ballroom, where Fitzgerald broke through with Chick Webbs big band in the 1930s, Tick evokes the jazz world in riveting detail. She describes how Ella helped shape the bebop movement in the 1940s, as she joined Dizzy Gillespie and her thenhusband, Ray Brown, in the worldtouring Jazz at the Philharmonic, one of the first moments of highculture acceptance for the disreputable art form.Breaking ground as a female bandleader, Fitzgerald refuted expectations of musical Blackness, deftly balancing artistic ambition and market expectations. Her legendary exploration of the Great American Songbook in the 1950s fused a Black vocal aesthetic and jazz improvisation to revolutionize the popular repertoire. This hybridity often confounded critics, yet throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Ella reached audiences around the world, electrifying concert halls, and sold millions of records.A masterful biography, Becoming Ella Fitzgerald describes a powerful woman who set a standard for American excellence nearly unmatched in the twentieth century. 30 blackandwhite images
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We ship your order within 2–3 business days for USA deliveries and 5–8 business days for international shipments. Once your package has been dispatched from our warehouse, you'll receive an email confirmation with a tracking number, allowing you to track the status of your delivery.
Returns
To facilitate a smooth return process, a Return Authorization (RA) Number is required for all returns. Returns without a valid RA number will be declined and may incur additional fees. You can request an RA number within 15 days of the original delivery date. For more details, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy page.
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We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main focus of 'Becoming Ella Fitzgerald'? A: The book is a comprehensive biography of Ella Fitzgerald, exploring her life, career, and influence on jazz music as a transformative artist.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Becoming Ella Fitzgerald'? A: The book is written by historian Judith Tick.
- Q: When was 'Becoming Ella Fitzgerald' published? A: The book is set to be published on December 5, 2023.
- Q: What are some key themes covered in the biography? A: Key themes include Fitzgerald's difficult childhood, her rise in the music industry, her navigation of racial and gender issues, and her impact on the jazz genre.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: The biography contains 592 pages.
- Q: Is 'Becoming Ella Fitzgerald' available in different formats? A: The book is available in hardcover format.
- Q: What makes this biography significant? A: It is the first major biography of Ella Fitzgerald since her death and aims to reclaim her status as a major American artist and innovator in music.
- Q: Does the book include any illustrations or photographs? A: Yes, the biography includes 30 black-and-white images.
- Q: What genre does 'Becoming Ella Fitzgerald' fall under? A: The book falls under the genre of jazz and biography.
- Q: Are there any notable accolades for this book? A: The book has been recognized as an NPR 2023 'Books We Love' Pick and a Kirkus Best Nonfiction Book of 2023.