Ella Fitzgerald Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin

Ella Fitzgerald Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin on LP

A 43-year-old Ella Fitzgerald was in prime form during her 1960 tour of Europe and her Berlin concert, which opened the tour, won her critical acclaim. Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin is an iconic live album from Verve and the First Lady of Jazz recorded at the Deutschlandhalle in West Berlin. It's most remembered for her inventive performance of the title track "Mack the Knife," during which she forgot the lyrics and substituted her own without losing stride. The historic 9-song set which finds Ella accompanied by the Paul Smith Quartet was awarded a Grammy award for Best Vocal Performance, Female and the title cut took home hardware for Best Female Vocal Performance. Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin was also ceremoniously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Musicians:
Ella Fitzgerald (vocals)
Paul Smith (piano)
Jim Hall (guitar)
Wilfred Middlebrooks (bass)
Gus Johnson (drums)