Ella not only informed the direction my music would take from childhood onward, but she continues to evoke memories that run deep and spin around inside of my gut and make my heart happy.
George and I decided to put on some old vinyl while we played a hot game of Scrabble last night and I chose "Ella swings gently with Nelson".
The cover of this well loved Verve recording has peeling edges and a yellowing paper insert protecting the precious black disc. The feel of the glossy cardboard square was already intoxicating, with a beautiful close up of Ella in a pink sequined trimmed chiffon dress, eyes closed caught in a blissful moment of expression, singing into that classic sliver RCA vocal mic that I know George would kill for.
I placed the disc onto the black felt turntable, closed the dust cover and pressed "play".
The soft crackle of the needle making contact on vinyl just before the anticipated notes came ringing through the speakers is a sound that almost makes me want to cry with joy. That pre music announcement...pre 'what ever album' we were about to listen to, soft crackling sound brought back years of memories...life changing moments that the soft hushing of the needle on vinyl would become the back drop to.
Then her voice issues forth...Ella in her prime...the same "Sweet and Slow" that would be playing on my parents old Hi-Fi during a special dinner party, or on Christmas Eve while silent snow fell heavy flakes flying around the Buffalo street light in the front yard, fancy hors d'oeuvres and wine glasses set out and ready...or when I was supposed to be asleep but I could hear the music from my bedroom while mom and dad danced in the living room, or on a Sunday afternoon while I'd help mom clean the house. All of these sensations rushed in and filled me up before the first 16 measures played.
"Georgia" "I Can't Get Started" "Street of Dreams" "The Very Thought Of You" my eyes are closed and I'm swaying and George declares "Bingo" on some insane word like "zouaves"!!
Having stumped me while I was lost in an Ella ecstatic coma I object "What does zouaves even mean?"
I continue my Scrabble outrage "If you can't use zouaves in a sentence I don't think you should be able to use it on the board!!"
He says "I have no idea but I know it's in the Scrabble dictionary!"
Once again I lose miserably but I don't care at all because I was sent reeling back to my original love of singing and jazz and warm wonderful sensations for two whole sides of "Ella Swings Gently With Nelson".
