Live At Montreux 1969

New York, NY–To witness the great Ella Fitzgerald live was beyond a mere concert – it was an experience. An innovator of scat singing and jazz improvisation, this celebrated singer left audiences breathless as she uniquely interpreted musical touchstones of the American Songbook.

On January 20, Mercury Studios will release one of those very special performances with Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969 on CD and LP. Originally released on DVD in 2005, this is the first time this concert is being made available on audio formats.

Live At Montreux 1969 captures Ella’s very first performance at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival – an event that she would return to several times in the years to come. On this special night, she was joined by the Tommy Flanagan Trio for a set list traversing American classics and contemporary hits. Ella delivers her smooth, timeless renditions of “I Won’t Dance” and “That Old Black Magic”, along with her inspired takes on Paul McCartney’s “Hey Jude”, Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love”, and Dionne Warwick’s “This Girl’s In Love With You”.

There is no denying the potency of Ella Fitzgerald’s work, from her dynamic, instantly recognizable vocal range to her one-of-a-kind scat-phrasing, which set a precedent for jazz music and beyond. An American treasure of the highest calibre, Fitzgerald’s influence is an essential thread woven into musical history. This is brilliantly displayed on Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969.