Ann Hampton Callaway - To Ella With Love

Jazz-cabaret chanteuse Ann Hampton Callaway pays tribute to the First Lady of Song in To Ella with Love, a 1996 recording re-released in 1999 as a companion to her small-ensemble album, Easy Living. Here Callaway is supported by a full band anchored by pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Lewis Nash, while Wynton Marsalis sits in for two numbers. "How High the Moon" begins in a loping gait before catching fire and including the inevitable scat solo. While Callaway doesn't include any of her own songs among this collection of standards, it's one of her best albums.
–David Horiuchi
Songbird Ann Hampton Callaway's newest recording, Easy Living, is accompanied by the re-release of her 1996 tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. Given the exceptional merit of each collection, this could create a problem for consumers trying to make a choice. Choose both.To Ella With Love finds Callaway, who made her name as a cabaret singer in spots like Manhattan's Algonquin Hotel and as the composer/performer of the theme from TV's The Nanny, paying homage to one of the greatest performers in the history of vocal jazz. While Callaway doesn't hesitate to dive into the heart of the Fitzgerald songbook, taking on such signature tunes as "Body And Soul" and "Lady Be Good," she avoids the obvious traps of imitation, adapting the material to her own passionate interpretations and considerable range. There are hints of Ella in some of the phrasing, which is almost inevitable, but these versions stand on their own. This would be a great album if Ella Fitzgerald had never heard this material. Callaway is accompanied by f 15 piece big band, a string section and an A-List rhythm section that features Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Christian McBride (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums). Wynton Marsalis sits in and offers fine solos on "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" and "How High The Moon."