Ella Fitzgerald Discography

Ella Fitzgerald Discography

This article presents the discography of the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, covering her recording career from 1935 up to 1989.

Between 1935 and 1955 Ella Fitzgerald was signed to Decca Records, her early recordings were as featured vocalist and frequently uncredited. The first single, issued on 78rpm single, "I'll Chase the Blues Away" backed by "Love and Kisses" was recorded with The Chick Webb Orchestra. Fitzgerald recorded with this orchestra up until Webb's death in 1939, after this the orchestra was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra. With the introduction of 10" and 12" Long-playing records in the late 1940s, Decca released several original albums in the later part of her time at Decca Records and many of her previous single only releases were re-issued on these formats.

In 1956 Ella Fitzgerald signed with Verve Records the Norman Granz record label, Fitzgerald recorded with Verve until the mid 1960s. Included in this era were a series of eight songbook albums, with interpretations of the greater part of the Great American Songbook, with songs from the pens of Cole Porter (1956), Rodgers & Hart (1956), Duke Ellington (1957), Irving Berlin (1958), George and Ira Gershwin (1959), Harold Arlen (1961), Jerome Kern (1963) and Johnny Mercer (1964). The late 1960s and early 1970s saw Fitzgerald release albums on several major record labels, including three albums on Capitol Records and two on the Reprise Records label. In 1972 Norman Granz formed Pablo Records, the label continued to release Ella Fitzgerald's albums up until her last recorded album All That Jazz in 1989.

In recent years the Ella Fitzgerald back catalogue has continued to grow, this includes complete albums of previously unreleased live material and alternative recordings from her studio sessions.