Defining Jazz

Ella Fitzgerald may not be known to all by name but her influence on jazz and the confidence of women

everywhere can be seen clearly. Jazz has many forms and techniques all used to create wonderful music

through improvisation and rhythm. Many jazz artists choose to create in a style that already exists but

give it their own unique twist. That is exactly what the amazing Ella Fitzgerald did and took a step

further. Taking what others had started and making it her own. Ella Fitzgerald is often counted among

the stars as one of the most influential and loved female jazz voices throughout the 20th century.

Ella Fitzgerald who became a beloved jazz swinger (1917-1996) started out with troubles and strife.

Unmarried parents lead to her father leaving her and her mother shortly after Ella was born. Leaving

them both in financial troubles which forced them to move up north to live with Ellas aunt. But the

troubles didnt stop there. When Ella was in her early teens her mother died and she was left with her

aunt and cousins. She worked some odd jobs and originally tried to start a career as a dancer. Until the

day when she was selected to compete in an armatures contest hoping to win some extra money for her

family. Walking in to the theater to compete she unknowingly stepped into a career that would make

her a stat (Ella Fitzgerald, Site).

Her rendition of the song Judy, a popular song at the time, earned thunderous applause and an encore

performance as well as a contract with a recording company and a place in the band Chicks. Her

naturally beautiful voice and impeccable rhythm made her instantly popular as a singer (Ella Fitzgerald,

Site). Soon she started singing with the Chicks in the Savoy Ballroom a popular jazz club of the time.

Recording her first song with the band in 1935 continuing her performances with the band until they fell

apart. Soon after she started to sing as an independent artists and became even more famous than she

had ever imagined. As Ellas career continued her fame and success only ever increased. She won
several awards for her amazing creativity and contributions to the world of jazz. She was one of the first

women to ever win a Grammy, not to mention the first black woman. As her career continued Ella didnt

just win one Grammy. She earned herself 14 Grammys in total and a place in the Grammy hall of fame

for her original song A-tisk, A-task.

The awards dont just stop there. Ella won many different awards for her musical tones and creative

scatting improve, including American society of composers, Pied Piper Award, National Medal of

Art, Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Medal of Honor, and the first ever ASCAP award for art

(Ella Fitzgerald, Site). All of these were awarded her over the span of her career which lasted from 1934

to the year that she died 1996. During her career she collaborated with artists such as Duke Ellington,

Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Dizzy Gillespie to create some of the most beloved music of all time.

Who much like the rest of the world loved and cherished her even after her death, June 15 1996.

Celebrating her with a musical celebration of jazz at carnage hall, where Ella had performed 26 times

during her career (Tom Toolen). Creating recordings of iconic songs like Cheek to Cheek and It Dont

Mean a Thing (If it isnt Swing). (Biography)

Ella brought new energy and an incredible voice to the jazz era. And her voice was discovered at the

perfect time when Jazz styles of Bebop and Scatting were really catching on. Both styles that she used to

define her career. Ella is most famously known for her scatting and unique ability to mimic the

instruments in a jazz band especially the trumpet section (Biography). Ella also did more than just sing.

She being a naturally creative and inventive soul developed and expanded her art form by really

discovering the possibilities of scatting. Being one of the singers who really showed what scatting could

be improving her way to a place among the stars. Her creativity also lead her to the pursuit of a

songwriting career. Uncommonly, for the time, Ella wrote and performed her own original songs. This

was not only uncommon for a woman of the time but for any singer. Most famous singers would have a

group or panel of song writers who would provide them with songs to sing. Being one of the Great
American Song Book originators and composers she was able to reach an international audience

becoming one of the first women to ever do so. This only was probably enough to make Ella a historical

figure let alone her contributions to the esteem of women.

At the time when Ella was famous she was a ground breaking artist. Not only for her incredible voice and

musical talents but as a women with an international audience who was a walking stereotype. But as an

icon for women who were different from the beauty standards of the time. Ella was, to quote the 60s

musical Hair Spray, Big, Black, and Beautiful! Her image was not focused around being a sexy lounge

singer who was itemized and swooned over. Which was commonly associated with female singers. No,

she wanted to make the music stand out. She wanted to write her songs and be the woman she wanted

to be. And she certainly did it with style and class. Her audiences love for her proved her success and

showed that size color or shape didnt matter when your voice was as beautiful and as powerful as

Ellas.

To women everywhere she proved that a woman who did not fit the stereotypical norm could make it in

the music business. Ella Fitzgerald paved the way for women of all types shapes and sizes to have

serious careers as musical artists. Making songs so loved that they will never be forgotten. In the process

winning many prestigious awards and singing her way into history books as one of the most influential

and loved voices of all time. Her Big voice and strong personality made her lovable and made her

audiences sway with every song. She proved that the world didnt have to be separated between black

and white or between women and men. And she did it with style and grace creating and singing music

that is still loved and cherished to this day. For this Ella Fitzgerald will be remembered for ever. Eternally

alive in the hundreds of recordings and performances of her smooth original tones.
 Work Sited

Author, Corporate. Biography. Ella Fitzgerald, Music Enterprise, 7 Apr. 2017,

www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/biography.

By TOM TOOLEN, Special to, the Record. "HONORING `THE FIRST LADY OF SONG. The Record, Jul

05, 1996, pp. 032, ProQuest Central,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/424744456?accounti
d=10008.

.com, Biography. Ella Fitzgerald. Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017,

www.biography.com/people/ella-fitzgerald-9296210.